One of the Alphabet executives accused of sexual misconduct in a bombshell New York Times’ report resigned on Tuesday.
Richard DeVaul, a director at Alphabet’s research lab X, left without an exit package, CNBC confirmed.
Axios first reported the news.
DeVaul was one of several current and former Google or Alphabet executives whose inappropriate workplace behavior was highlight by The Times, which reported that former Android leader Andy Rubin had received a $90 million exit package despite sexual misconduct claims against him. DeVaul reportedly propositioned a hardware engineer who had applied to work at X. During the engineer’s interview, he allegedly told her that he and his wife were polyamorous and invited her to Burning Man, where, once there, he asked her to remove her shirt and offered her a backrub.
The engineer, Star Simpson, did not receive an offer from Google and told The Times that when she reported the incident two years later, a human resources officer told her that her story was “more likely than not” true and that “appropriate action” was taken.
DeVaul did not deny the New York Times’ allegations, but apologized for his “error of judgement.” After The Times published its report, others came forward on social media accusing DeVaul of inappropriate behavior.
Rubin, who was reportedly asked to resign after Google investigated claims claims that he had coerced another employee into performing oral sex in a hotel room the year before, denied misconduct through a spokesperson and on Twitter.
In the wake of the Times’ piece, Google CEO Sundar Pichai sent an email to all employees saying the company had fired 48 people over the last two years for sexual harassment, including 13 “senior managers and above,” and that none had received an exit package.
“We are committed to ensuring that Google is a workplace where you can feel safe to do your best work, and where there are serious consequences for anyone who behaves inappropriately,” Pichai wrote.
In light of the Times’ reporting, a group of Google employees are organizing a walk-out to take place on Thursday, an employee confirmed to CNBC. BuzzFeed first reported the upcoming protest.
