What about age discrimination? How do they skew compared to others on age of workforce?

It is no secret that most Silicon Valley companies like to hire foreigners with H1B work visas because (1) they can pay lower salaries and (2) the visas only apply to one employer so the employee is unlikely to jump ship. If Americans were willing to work for paltry wages, then Google could send all those foreigners back home.

Nick - can you please get some correct numbers? The NSF numbers you post for degrees *awarded in 2008* only. You need the numbers for the total population, not just a single graduating class. For instance, in 2001, the percentage of computer science degrees awarded to hispanic was approximately 4% - much lower than the 7.5% in 2008.

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Part of the problem also is that there's an observed tendency for hiring managers, particular if they're Indian ethnicity, to hire based on ethnic preference. Indians tend to hire other Indians, particularly male Indians. I know personally of one real life example in a local fortune 500 company that I won't name, where the VP of the division froze hiring except for new hires in Mexico. His Indian subordinates ignored the directive and continued hiring Indians to the group. The demographics of that group are way skewed toward male Indians, completely out of sync with the Silicon Valley high-tech population.

So when a company like Google gets enough critical mass of these types of hiring managers, the problem will self-perpetuate. This may also explain why Indians who get laid off seem to be able to find new work rather easily, compared to their Chinese or Caucasian counterparts.

Google is not the only abuser of H1 visas. Almost all major corporations Google, HP,Cisco,IBM,Intel,Many banks,etc.. in this country are using companies like Tata, Infosys, Cognizant,Wipro,etc..to get people in here under H-1, L-1 visas. L1-visas are unlimited and you would be shocked how many of these Indian companies bring in their employees as intra company transfer and put them in their client locations. What we have is both political parties are in bed with corporations to overlook all kinds of violations so that their campaigns funded. Blame it on all our local politicians Dianne Feinstein, Boxer,Anna Eshoo,Zoe Lofgren,HOnda for enabling these companies to get away with anything. Its the average American citizen that gets impacted by all these deliberate violations and discrimination. African Americans and some latinos bear the worst blow of these violations and discrimination.

I'm over 50 - laid off year and a half ago. Applied several times with Google. Haven't seen an interview, or reason for not wanting to interview. Not that they have to but it would be nice to know why someone with my experience isn't being called in to talk about openings they advertise. Good luck proving it even if it is so obvious to those of us experiencing the discrimination first hand.

Google is definitely the Hugh Hefner of the tech world. You have to be young and perfect to get consideration over there.

Alex M is right about the Indians. I work at one of these top companies and the Indian managers will ONLY hire other Indians - that is true.

As for these protests, I don't think you can use the numbers they are providing. Google is one of the top places to work in the world. It does not matter if you have a Computer Science degree. They are selective, how many African Americans have graduated at the top of their class from an Ivy League school? Maybe a lot - I don't know the answer to that question but these are the percentages they should be using.

Google needs to hire/train us locals and stop avoiding paying their fair share of taxes by funneling money through Ireland and the UK then to Caribbean off-shore banks. All of these big corporations are robbing the nation while the rest of us must pay our fair share. This is outrageous and the government needs to stand with the people and demand an end to the loop-holes and sneaky tactics these huge companies are using to dodge taxes!

A country with double-digit unemployment needs to halt ALL immigration until unemployment drops to 5% or less.

I also agree with Alex M. I'm a contractor and I bounce around from company to company every 6 month. If the hiring manager is Indian I never get the job. And what I'm about to say is really sad, but I found a trick to get in is to use and Indian recruiter. When I use an Indian recruiter they get me in because it's about getting a commission. You would think that the recruiter would discriminate but he has an easier time selling my skills, since I'm a citizen or American. Once I get the job then I have deal with all the Indian trying to push me out or make me quit. They won't train me, they try to make me look bad in front of the boss and so, and so on. Everywhere I go I'm usually one of hand full of American. Also as far as saving money, I really don't think they save that much money by hiring Indians. Often they need to hire more of them because they don't understand how think for themselves. And I notice that I get paid the same hourly rate that most other Indian around me make. I mean they are not stupid. They know what the market should pay. But I will say that the recruiter can make more money because he can usually pay the Indian less and pocket the extra. But the company or fortune 500 usually pays the same for each position. They will post a position and say, We can pay $75 an hour for this position, So find us somebody. So it's really the agencies we need to look at, since they are finding the talent.

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