Overnight Job Cuts at Hy-Vee India Spark Debate Over Employee Rights

US-based retail technology company Hy-Vee has abruptly shut down its engineering centre in India, leaving nearly 150 software engineers without jobs overnight. Employees were invited to a Microsoft Teams video call at around 9 p.m., where the company announced the immediate closure of its India engineering operations as part of a restructuring exercise. Soon after the meeting, employees reportedly lost access to their corporate accounts without any prior notice.

The incident gained widespread attention after a former employee shared his experience on Reddit, saying he had joined the company as an intern and became a full-time software engineer within two years, only to lose his job in a single meeting. He alleged that the company did not provide any severance package or financial compensation. The employee, experienced in React, Node.js, JavaScript and TypeScript, said the sudden layoff caused significant emotional stress. Meanwhile, Hy-Vee India's Engineering Director Amit Goyal confirmed the closure on LinkedIn and appealed to his professional network to help affected engineers find new opportunities. However, the company has not officially responded to allegations regarding notice periods or severance benefits.