Google has initiated a new round of voluntary exit offers to its U.S.-based employees in the Search organization and other divisions, including marketing, research, and core engineering.
Dubbed the “Voluntary Exit Program” (VEP), this move follows similar offers made earlier this year to staff in its platforms and services group.
The buyout program is not extended to employees in DeepMind, Google Cloud, YouTube, or its central ad sales unit. Eligible workers under the VEP are being offered a minimum of 14 weeks’ severance pay, with an enrollment deadline set for July 1. While layoffs have not been confirmed, this latest move has raised internal questions about the possibility of further workforce reductions.
In an internal memo obtained by sources, Nick Fox, head of Google’s Knowledge and Information (K&I) group, described the VEP as a “supportive exit path” for employees who may feel misaligned with the company’s current strategy or expectations. “If you’re excited about your work… I really (really!) hope you don’t take this,” Fox emphasized, underlining Google’s ongoing ambitions in AI and product innovation.
In a related policy update, Google is also requiring remote employees within 50 miles of an office to return in-person at least three days a week by September, or face termination with severance. This change applies to U.S.-based workers across K&I and reflects Google’s renewed emphasis on in-office collaboration.
