Coronavirus: Firms could sack techies who defy lockdown

Employees of software and other IT companies, who have the work-from-home option and shifted to their hometowns, are at the risk of getting a pay cut or losing their jobs.

Some of the companies have started tracking the network of their employees to verify whether they are in Bengaluru or left for their homes.

Companies are acting against those who have not abided by the instructions given by the firms and also by the state government to stay at home during this lockdown period due to the COVID-19 crisis, and are even marking them as absent.

As explained by a senior software engineer in an IT company located in ITPL, the company HR team asked her to share her location through the link provided by the company. “Even we did not know why they were asking us to share our location. But, we realised it only when we received a mail about a pay cut for those who are not in Bengaluru,” the employee said.

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“In my company, our team head asked us to connect on a group video call to track our networks. During the video call, the team head specifically instructed us not to leave the work station, and if in case we moved out of Bengaluru, such days will be marked as absent,” said another senior IT analyst.

However, companies are justifying their action by saying: “The work-from-home option has been enabled mainly to curb COVID-19. If the employees prefer to leave the city, then what is the purpose of lockdown and asking them to stay at home?”

One of the major IT companies from the city sent an email communication to its employees saying: “We have extended the work-from-home option to all the staff to combat COVID-19. Some employees are thinking it is a vacation and travelled outside Bengaluru. Those who have left the work station during this lockdown period will not get their salaries.”

Threat of data leak

The IT employees who are handling secret data projects, which includes a few related to the state government, have not got the work-from-home option as there is a threat of data leak.

“I work for a data project where I am not even allowed to carry my mobile phone or any other gadgets inside the office. For people like me, there is no work-from-home option,” said one of the IT company employees.