Layoffs are a fact of life in running a business. Treating people poorly is a choice.
Do we have a reason to believe he was treated poorly?
The headline seems a pretty clear example of the employee being treated poorly imo.
Meta fires a software engineer two days after he relocated from India to Canada
181–190 of 496 posts
Re: Meta fires a software engineer two days after he relocated from India to Canada
#182I'm horrified by so many of the comments here that seem to lack even the most basic of human decency. Allow me to fill people in for those who have never uprooted your life and moved across the world for a job. It is a massive commitment on the part of the employee, where you sell the majority of your earthly possessions, property, cars, etc. Then you go through an immigration process which even if its handled by FAA…
> This persons visa is dependent on their employment so now they get to go into a city they don't know and try desperately to find employment with an employer who is interested in sponsoring someone from abroad (which is a small fraction of the total employers). Alternatively they can just return to India? I'd be surprised if they didn't receive reallocation package (16k USD according to teamblind?). I don't expect a…
> Alternatively they can just return to India? ..
Indeed. So many have returned to India in far worse circumstances during 2008 recession.
> There is also certain irony here in Meta employees expecting ethical behavior from Meta whilst happily creating and maintaining unethical outcomes for the customers.
You are right. I am sorry to say but this outpouring for folks who are in vastly better financial situation is an example of People like Us have more feelings than masses.
Re: Meta fires a software engineer two days after he relocated from India to Canada
#183Earlier quoted context omitted.
IMHO, the libertarian trends of thought are pushing people to think everyone as a trader and abolishment of professions. From that perspective, business is business and the employee should have striken a better deal but from a professionals perspective they are not businessmen - they are professionals and the business is handled by someone else and they join a team where they get compensated for their time(they don't…
We invented regulated employment and worker protections for good reasons.
I agree. Many professions are essential, as we saw during the pandemic - someone must do those jobs. Yet again, most of those jobs are not suitable to strike it big and retire early because you can't kanban hard enough to retire in your 30s or clean the hospital floors through enough to be set for life. Which means, unless you lust for human misery and collapse of the civilisation the professionals should be protected against exploitation.
Re: Meta fires a software engineer two days after he relocated from India to Canada
#184So he gets 4 months of pay, his signing bonus, and all if his shares vest immediately.
I can't see the article to mention if he gets this package, remembering a few situations from my life I'd expect him not to get any package since he only worked for 2 days..
not true, everyone affected gets the package whether they joined 2 days ago or 2 years ago.
Re: Meta fires a software engineer two days after he relocated from India to Canada
#185I'm horrified by so many of the comments here that seem to lack even the most basic of human decency. Allow me to fill people in for those who have never uprooted your life and moved across the world for a job. It is a massive commitment on the part of the employee, where you sell the majority of your earthly possessions, property, cars, etc. Then you go through an immigration process which even if its handled by FAA…
So, you advocate that employees from abroad should have some sort of default lay-off protection? Why do you think this is fair?
> Why do you think this is fair?
Immigrants are paid less than locals… do you think that is fair?
Re: Meta fires a software engineer two days after he relocated from India to Canada
#186No post body was provided.
Re: Meta fires a software engineer two days after he relocated from India to Canada
#187Earlier quoted context omitted.
I do agree, but I guess I'm not sure what the solution is here? Large layoffs in large orgs are generally done at a team level rather than an individual level. So presumably this individual's entire team no longer exists. So out of respect for them relocating do you then try to reposition them in the company somehow? And what about all the people who didn't relocate but may have recently left stable job for an opport…
The solution is right there in OPs post: “give them three months on the books to find somewhere else that don't count against their visa. It will give them a chance to get settled and go on interviews.” Thats it. HR knows who is working on visa. Inform them of the situation, give them 3 months, take away all their accesses and let them spend the 3 months to look for a new job. Meta makes a bazillion USD pr year. Even…
It's even simpler: make 3 months notice mandatory across the board. Or heck, even 30 days notice would be a start. Of course there's no way you can rely on a corporation to do this voluntarily and regulation is unlikely given who pays the bills.
I wish there was a way to make this happen but I keep hearing software workers don't need unions because we already make so much money and the better ones have nothing to worry about.
Re: Meta fires a software engineer two days after he relocated from India to Canada
#188While I've never experienced a similar situation myself, I've had several friends and acquaintances who have had similar issues with tech jobs that required relocation from Canada to the US - from having jobs rescinded last minute after selling their home in Canada, to being downsized due to company cutbacks within days or weeks of starting the new job (after all, new employees are more likely to be let go during those times).
In short, there is always a risk associated with relocation for work, and the job or location must be worth that risk in order to upheave your life and move for it.
Re: Meta fires a software engineer two days after he relocated from India to Canada
#189I'm horrified by so many of the comments here that seem to lack even the most basic of human decency. Allow me to fill people in for those who have never uprooted your life and moved across the world for a job. It is a massive commitment on the part of the employee, where you sell the majority of your earthly possessions, property, cars, etc. Then you go through an immigration process which even if its handled by FAA…
> so many of the comments here that seem to lack even the most basic of human decency Reading them, so am I. There is no sign of empathy: that understanding of another individual, the ability to put oneself in someone else's shoes, that is fundamental to a healthy society and (IMO) personal integrity. I read a comment a few years ago that no-one thinks of themselves as a bad person. To yourself, you are always okay.…
I can't stand reading the conversations on HN about anything related to the well-being or suffering of other people. I try to limit myself to technical topics only, or I start to get depressed and/or angry.
Re: Meta fires a software engineer two days after he relocated from India to Canada
#190Am I the only one who cannot scroll that page?