Google ‘X lab’ director Rich DeVaul is out, latest executive accused of sexual harassment
- Rich DeVaul left Google’s futuristic ‘moon shot’ division without an exit package
Google parent Alphabet on Wednesday confirmed that an executive accused of sexual harassment left the company without an exit package as tension over its handling of such matters heightened.
Word that Rich DeVaul, a director at X lab devoted to “moon shots” such as internet service from balloons, was out came with reports that women employees were trying to organise a walkout on Thursday to protest lenient handling of sexual misconduct in the workplace.
Alphabet declined to share any details about DeVaul’s departure from the company on Tuesday.
Google chief executive Sundar Pichai sent a message to employees late Tuesday, a copy of which was posted online by technology news website Ars Technica.
Pichai said he has heard from many employees on the subject of inappropriate behaviour at work and was “deeply sorry for the past actions and the pain they have caused employees.”
“As CEO, it’s been personally important to me that we take a much harder line on inappropriate behaviour,” Pichai said in the message.
