US grocery and retail technology company Hy-Vee has abruptly closed its India engineering centre, cutting around 150 jobs in a late-night Microsoft Teams call. The layoffs, part of a wider restructuring effort, came without prior notice or severance pay, leaving employees stunned.
According to accounts shared online, the entire engineering team was informed at 9 p.m. that their roles were being eliminated. Many had joined the company less than two years ago, some starting as interns before moving into full-time roles. Despite their tenure, workers reported receiving no compensation package, describing the experience as one of the hardest moments of their careers.
Amit Goel, Hy-Vee’s director of engineering in India, confirmed the closure in a LinkedIn post. He noted that the team had been carefully assembled in recent months, with hires from leading firms such as Amazon and Myntra. Goel praised the engineers’ skills and urged industry contacts to help them find new opportunities.
The incident sparked debate across social media. Some users pointed out that while severance is discretionary, companies are legally required to provide notice period salary. Others expressed disbelief that Hy-Vee, which employs nearly 20,000 people globally, had shuttered its India unit so suddenly. Comments ranged from sympathy and encouragement to practical advice, with many urging affected employees to regroup and move forward.
With growing uncertainty in the tech sector, such restructuring moves are increasingly leaving workers vulnerable.
