[cors-fls]

Given Google is not in financial difficulty and these employees were not at fault of anything, this layoff would have been illegal in France.

If these employees were not contractors or on a short-term contract, this layoff could easily be contested and Google would have to pay up to 1 month's pay per year worked at Google (minimum 3 month's pays)

Google could have negotiated with the employees to end the contract at a better price.

To widen your perspectives.

[Kstarek]

Well this is why a multinational company would be idiotic to have a major presence / office in France

[bradknowles]

This is why many international companies are loathe to hire new employees in France. They'll get contractors, sure. But real employees can be a major pain to deal with from an HR perspective, and be that major pain for a year or more.

Belgium isn't much different. I lived and worked there for almost eight years, and I saw this problem in spades from the other side.

[rurban]

so they either cannot do business in France, or cannot hire french engineers, which would be even more idiotic.

laws are rarely idiotic, businesses are

[bradknowles]

With as many crazy and stupid laws that exist in the world, I would claim "citation needed" here.

Frankly, I've seen many more idiotic laws than I've seen idiotic businesses.