The above-standard employee benefits at Google are well-known all over the world, whether it's a hairdresser, two free meals a day, company doctors and nurseries or the latest Japanese "space" toilets. The lastest benefit, however, goes even further - over the end of employees' lives. Laszlo Bock, Google's Chief HR Director, mentioned in an interview with Forbes.com that the company has just introduced death benefits. Google will provide partners of the deceased employees with checks for half the annual salaries of the deceased for ten years. All the 34,000 employees in the U.S. regardless of how long and on which positions they have worked at the company can apply for this benefit.
According to Laszlo Bock, Google has been looking for ways to support bereaved partners of its employees for a long time. The official policy of the death benefits was implemented during 2011. In addition to the above mentioned financial package for ten years, the partners of the deceased employees will also immediately gain their shares. Children under 19 years (or under 23 years in case of students) will receive the sum of one thousand dollars a month.
According to Forbes.com, this kind of benefit is exceptional not only for his generosity but also because - unlike the other benefits - it is not intended to increase Googlers' satisfaction, creativity or productivity. "Obviously there’s no benefit to Google," Bock said. "But it’s important to the company to help our families through this horrific if inevitable life event."
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