CHENNAI: While everyone is fighting their own battles during the lockdown, many people across the State have been laid off by their employers. Most of these companies are small scale service providers for foreign countries.
S Amal Pullikan, a native of Kerala was working in a private company in Nungambakkam. His company deals with clients of an American insurance company. On March 21, Amal went home to Palakkad after the company announced that employees can work from home. Two weeks into lockdown, he no longer had the job.
“On April 13, we received an email stating that the company had decided to lay off 27 people with a one-week notice. The next day they sent a personal emails saying that the company is in financial depression and we were fired. They also said that the pending salary will be credited only after lockdown is over and normalcy returns,” said Amal.
The 29-year-old man worked in the company for two years and his marriage had been fixed at the end of May, which has been postponed to September.
Now that he is without a job, the girl’s family is reconsidering the marriage proposal.
Similarly, Vinay Kumar Manyala (name changed), a native of Telangana was working at an IT company in Royapettah.
“I stayed in Chennai after the lockdown was announced and was working from home. On April 2, I received an email stating that I and 15 others are expected to work only till May 2,” he said.
His mother, who is alone in his native town, does not know that he has lost his job.
“I can’t tell my mother now as I’m the only breadwinner of the family. I’ll go home after the lockdown and let her know. I’ve contacted many of my friends to apply for new jobs. But some of them have also lost jobs and the companies are not willing to recruit anytime soon,” concluded Vinay.