Highlights:
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An American company laid off most of its Indian workforce in a 4-minute online meeting.
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Employees’ cameras and microphones were disabled, and no questions were allowed.
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Workers were promised October salary and encashment of unused leaves.
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The announcement came without prior warning, leaving employees shocked.
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The story gained attention on Reddit, with users offering support and job referrals.
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Social media users criticized the company’s handling of layoffs and called for stronger labor protections.
A Reddit post has revealed that an American company abruptly laid off most of its Indian workforce during a brief online meeting, leaving employees shocked and unprepared. According to those affected, the meeting was led by the Chief Operating Officer (COO), who disabled participants’ cameras and microphones and provided no opportunity to ask questions.
Sudden Announcement From American Company Shocks Employees
The layoffs came as a surprise to employees who were working from home as usual. One employee described the experience on Reddit: “I work from home for a US-based company, and it was literally like any other day. I woke up at 8:30, logged into work at 9 and saw a calendar invite for 11. It was a mandatory meeting with our COO for all India employees. I joined it at 11, he joined at 11:01, disabled everyone’s cameras and mics, casually let us know that they had ‘made the difficult decision of letting most of their Indian workforce go’ and that ‘it wasn’t a performance-based assessment but just due to internal organizational restructuring.’”
The employee noted that no prior warning was given. Staff were left without time to prepare or seek guidance. “No prior intimation, no time to prepare. They have offered October’s salary to be paid at the end of the month, and any leaves would be encashed. None of it even remotely makes up for what I’m feeling right now. This is the first time I’ve been laid off, and it just truly fking scks,” the employee wrote.
American Company Provides Minimal Compensation and Communication
According to affected employees, the COO stated that further details would be shared via email. After this, the meeting ended immediately, leaving employees confused and frustrated. Despite promises to pay the October salary and encash unused leaves, workers said these measures did little to mitigate the emotional impact of sudden termination.
The way the layoffs were handled has drawn criticism online. Several Reddit users shared words of support and offered job referrals to those affected. One commenter wrote, “Sorry to hear this, man. I see from your previous comment that you’re in the media industry. Let me know if you’d be comfortable working in financial services. I’m not sure how much this will help, but I could refer, if that works.” The affected employee responded, “If they would be open to hiring someone with no experience in financial services, I’m so down.”
Other social media users recounted their own layoff experiences. One said, “I was laid off a couple of years ago, and I was devastated for months… Don’t be discouraged, you will come out stronger.” Another added, “Layoffs are the absolute worst thing… The way these layoffs are done is absolutely brutal… I wish there were strong laws to whip the a**es of these companies.”
Broader Implications of American Company’s Layoffs
These layoffs come amid ongoing discussions about the H1-B visa fee increase, a move that has already stirred debate in the US and India. The sudden termination of employees by an American company highlights the lack of legal protection for overseas staff and the challenges of workforce management during organizational restructuring.
The story has sparked widespread attention on social media, with many expressing sympathy for affected employees and calling for better labor laws. The rapid manner in which the layoffs were conducted has been described as “brutal” by users online, prompting conversations about accountability, corporate responsibility, and employee welfare in multinational firms.
Key Facts About the American Company Layoffs
- Most of the Indian workforce was laid off in a 4-minute online meeting.
- The COO disabled cameras and microphones and left immediately after announcing layoffs.
- Affected employees were promised October salary and leave encashment.
- The story gained traction on Reddit, with users offering support and job referrals.
- Social media users criticized the company’s handling of layoffs and called for stronger employee protections.
The incident underscores the potential challenges of managing a global workforce remotely and the importance of clear communication during sensitive organizational decisions.
