Google executive who opposed WFH for juniors to move to New Zealand to work remotely

Google's senior vice president for technical infrastructure, Urs Hölzle, has created an uproar after it was reported that he did not cooperate with his junior colleagues in sanctioning work from home amid his plans to work remotely for a year. According to reports, Hölzle had refused his junior employees when they asked to work remotely on June 29, while a report published in CNET claimed that Hölzle has a plan to move to New Zealand for a year to work remotely.

Senior Google executive follows double standard with his juniors: Reports

According to CNET,  the senior Google executive move has encouraged claims of a double standard in the tech giant's stance towards remote work. 

"After three decades in the US, my wife and I both felt it was time to consider a new location," Hölzle wrote in a company memo reviewed by CNET. "We've decided to spend a year in New Zealand and see how we like it."

Google terms the claim "bogus"

However, refuting all allegations published on CNET, Google spokesperson said that he requested to work remotely last year and the same was approved by the company, months before the company planned to direct their employees to return to office. His relocation was delayed because of the pandemic, added the company's spokesperson. It is worth noting that the tech giant  earlier directed their employees to start returning to office in September for three days a week. However, with some modification in its notification, it ordered 20 percent of employees to work from new office locations and allows 20 percent to work remotely.