Google's Child Care Problem
Jul 5

Google's Child Care Problem

On Day Care, Google Makes a Rare Fumble: Google has a fascinating little problem on its hands, courtesy of its daycare center. Employees are wicked pissed, which will likely make for an exodus of talent.

[Employees] who had been paying $1,425 a month for infant care would see their costs rise to nearly $2,500 — well above the market rate. For parents with toddlers and preschoolers, who were charged less, the price increases were equally eye-popping. Under the new plan, parents with two kids in Google day care would most likely see their annual day care bill grow to more than $57,000 from around $33,000.

At the first of the three focus groups, parents wept openly. As word leaked out about the company’s plan, the Google parents began to fight back.

$57K a year for childcare? Holy cats.

by Deane   July 5, 2008 9:31 AM   |
  tags: 
Google

Comments

by Ben Overmyer,   July 8, 2008 3:28 PM  

That's...unbelievable. I thought Google's motto was "don't be evil," but on this at least, it looks like they tripped.

by Dave,   July 9, 2008 4:15 PM  

What's really amazing is that other big Silicon Valley companies subsidize their day care programs an average of $12,000 a year per child. Google had been subsidizing their employees' kids at $37,000. Wow! I wonder if the single and childless at those companies ever complain about the inequity of their employer spending that much more on employees with kids/families. I hear that on occasion when it comes to medical benefits.

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