Notes from the Internet

Age discrimination and transition Kai-Fu Lee to Google

Potentially, it's possible that Dr. Kai-Fu Lee, 43 had serious concern about his further career with Microsoft. If he had some performance review issues, for example, his management at Microsoft can fire him without any problems, but by performance reasons. Then in that situation it is very difficult for him to continue work for Microsoft under conditions of potentially being fired at any minute even if he is an outstanding researcher and inventor. The big companies usually have special HR departments and can process it without any legal consequences for them. Then, the move of Dr. Kai-Fu Lee to Google is pretty natural act of self-defence.



According http://www.internetnews.com/article.php/3522796 Google and Microsoft tell different stories about how Lee fled Microsoft.

According to Google, "In early June 2005, Dr. Lee left Microsoft on sabbatical. On or about July 5, 2005, Dr. Lee informed Microsoft of his intention to resign from Microsoft at the end of this sabbatical, and that he was considering employment with Google. On July 18, 2005, Dr. Lee's last day of employment with Microsoft, he was served with a complaint" alleging breach of the non-compete clause of his contract.

According to Microsoft's complaint, Lee told his manager, Eric Rudder, that he initiated hiring negotiations with Google back in April. And a Microsoft spokeswoman told internetnews.com that Lee "never came back" from his sabbatical.

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