Oracle is reportedly undergoing mass layoffs in India, impacting approximately 12,000 employees as the IT giant restructures its operations.
Illustration: Dado Ruvic/Reuters
Key Points
- Oracle has reportedly laid off approximately 12,000 employees in India as part of a global restructuring effort.
- The company cites organisational changes and the need to streamline operations as the primary reasons for the mass layoffs.
- Impacted employees are being offered a severance package that includes 15 days’ salary per year of service, leave encashment, and gratuity.
- Another round of layoffs is expected within a month, potentially affecting more employees in India.
- The layoffs have also reportedly impacted Indian employees working for Oracle in the US due to stricter local labour laws.
US-based IT firm Oracle is believed to have laid off approximately 12,000 staff in India, with another round of layoffs expected within a month, impacted employees said on Tuesday.
Globally, the company has fired around 30,000 employees.
“In India, around 12,000 employees have been laid off. The company is planning another mass layoff within a month,” said two people impacted by the retrenchment, including one from the company’s human resource department.
The company has approximately 30,000 employees in India, including those affected by the layoffs.
Oracle declined to comment on the development.
Oracle’s Explanation for the Layoffs
Oracle, in an email sent to staff, said the employees were informed about certain organisational changes and “because of these changes, a decision has been taken to streamline the operations, and as a result, unfortunately, the position you currently hold will become redundant”.
Severance Package Details
The company has offered 15 days’ salary to each employee who has completed a year of service in India, in addition to one month of unpaid wages till termination date, leave encashment, gratuity based on eligibility and pay for a one-month notice period.
Oracle has also offered a two-month salary as a top-up.
However, the severance package is available for those who voluntarily and amicably resign from the company.
Allegations of Unfair Labour Practices
An ex-employee of Oracle, Merugu Sridhar, said that he was laid off in September for protesting against the 16-hour work shift that the company has in India.
“I contacted my friends and those who are in human resources. They shared that most of the Indians working in the US with the company have been impacted because the local laws there are very strict when it comes to the retrenchment of their citizens,” Sridhar said.
