Google Plans To Hire Security Guards As Employees, Not Contractors

Google plans to hire more than 200 security guards, making them full- and part-time employees of the company, and therefore eligible for company benefits. Previously, Google’s guards were provided by an outside contractor called Security Industry Specialists.
The news was reported Friday in The Wall Street Journal and elsewhere. A company spokesperson confirmed the plans via email and sent me the following statement:

Building an in-house security team is something we are excited to do. A year ago we in-sourced the Google security operations center and we are looking forward to making these valued positions both full- and part-time Google employees.

Earlier this year, union protests at Google’s Mountain View headquarters and the downtown San Francisco Apple Store sought to draw attention to tech companies’ relationships with their guards, with a focus on low pay and lack of benefits.

However, neither Google nor SIS actually said that they’re responding to those protests. The security contractor told the Journal that the decision “was made by SIS as part of its normal business operations and then conveyed to Google.” In addition, Google says that it will continue working with SIS during the transition period.