Google will pay its employees for doing nothing!
In the current era, tech companies are rapidly introducing their smart AI tools. Google has also recently unveiled its most advanced model till date ‘Gemini 2.5 Proo’, which has some major updates in coding, mathematics and visual comprehension. As the race to create better AI models is intensifying, the competition in hiring in this sector is also increasing. Companies are spending a lot to attract top talent. But the interesting thing is that amidst this rush, Google has taken a strange step.
You will get salary despite doing nothing
The company is paying salary to some of its employees for doing nothing. According to a report by Business Insider, Google is getting employees in the UK to sign a non-compete clause. This provision prevents employees from working for Google’s rival companies. Not only this, the company is also sending them on long leave. This is called “Garden Leave”. This is a corporate limbo, in which employees remain on the payroll but are prohibited from contributing to any work, whether it is for Google or for anyone else. This process can last up to 12 months.
How the matter came to light
This matter came to light when Microsoft AI Vice President and former DeepMind Director Nando de Freitas posted on X (formerly Twitter) how these employees had contacted him. He said that employees trapped in such contracts ask me every week how to avoid notice period and non-compete clause. He further said that managers have made these employees sign contracts by luring them with promotion. Freitas advised not to sign these contracts and said that no American company should have so much power, especially in Europe. This is abuse of power. Meanwhile, Google clarified that its agreements are according to industry norms.
