No forceful layoffs in Kerala, only relocation to Bengaluru, says BYJU’s

Edtech platform BYJU’s on October 28, 2022 said it won’t exit Kerala, however, as part of its `ongoing organisational restructuring for profitable growth’, it was discontinuing its operations at Technopark in Thiruvananthapuram `to reduce redundancy’.

Also, the company offered the entire affected team, some 140 members, a relocation opportunity to Bengaluru, it said in a statement.

“There are no layoffs, only relocation. In case any employee doesn’t wish to use this option of relocation for whatever reasons, s/he gets a generous and progressive exit package including extended health insurance benefits, outplacement services, garden leave and an assured rehire opportunity within the next 12 months at any centre of BYJU’S across India,’‘ a company spokesperson told The Hindu.

BYJU’S was not exiting Kerala, the narrative in certain sections of the media has arisen because of `some misunderstanding’, clarified the platform.

“Our human resources teams are in constant touch with everyone involved and are doing everything necessary to resolve their problems. The company also requested that this should not be construed as unfair dismissal,’‘ it said.

BYJU’S remained committed to its investments in Kerala, it would add three more offices in the state in this financial year, taking the total number to 14 and increasing the number of employees from 3,000 to 3,600, it further said.

The company said it allowed a month’s time for employees to decide on the relocation route to Bengaluru, but if they chose not to use this option, they would be offered a `generous and progressive’ exit.

Meanwhile, Karnataka State IT/ITeS Employees Union (KITU) said massive retrenchments are happening in BYJU’s offices across the country and also in Bengaluru in which hundreds of employees were made to forcefully resign from the company.

“All kinds of HR pressure tactics, including threats of spoiling future job prospects through layoff procedure, are used to get employees to resign on their own and leave,’‘ said a couple of employees of BYJU’s who are currently under threat of losing their jobs.

KITU has confirmed that it has received calls, text messages and complaints from several people who are employed by BYJU’s.

As per the Industrial Disputes Act 1947 section 2(ra), unfair labour practices such as indulging in acts of force or violence), is an offense on the part of an employer and it includes forcing employees to resign. An employee has all the legal right to refuse to sign the resignation,’‘ said KITU, Secretary Sooraj Nidiyanga.

KITU said it would extend all support to the affected employees in BYJU’s and urged the management to respect the law of the land and reinstate all retrenched employees with immediate effect.

“Don’t Panic. Refuse to Resign, Stay organised. This is what we want to tell the affected employees of BYJU’s and all other employees in the industry,’‘ added Nidiyanga.