Many former and current employees of Paytm told the paper they were forced to “voluntarily resign”, were not paid severance, and asked to return their retention and joining bonuses.
Another employee alleged that this is being done informally. They said Paytm did not formally communicate the restructuring or job loss and warned employees against recording HR meetings.
“The calls with HR are labelled as ‘connect’ or ‘discussion’. There is no formal documentation of any kind,” the employee alleged. Some employees also told TOI that the company is demanding their joining and retention bonuses be returned, but this was not mentioned in their offer letters.
The company has cited the offer letter or appointment letter (after joining) as the basis for asking for the return payment, but employees claim they never received or signed these appointment letters. The report also said a former employee claimed he did not receive an experience letter when he was terminated after refusing to resign. It added that while many employees resigned voluntarily to avoid termination, some are resisting to seek a “fair exit process” and consult lawyers.
One employee has already filed a complaint with the labour ministry. An affected employee from the lending team, who raised a complaint, is awaiting a report on it. “Just two months ago, (founder) Vijay Shekhar Sharma in a townhall had said that no one from the lending team will be laid off.
I thought my job was safe,” the employee told the paper. Paytm denied all these allegations. “We strongly deny allegations pertaining to any forced action on employees or unfair treatment. We have rigorously ensured that our HR teams have informed employees about their termination through official channels only,” a company spokesperson told TOI.
“Further, we would also emphasise that all transitions are duly undertaken as per norms laid out in the appointment letter of these employees. To help them adjust and plan their next move, we are honouring full notice periods of these employees while also extending additional support, such as outplacement and processing of due bonuses at the time of their full and final settlements,” the spokesperson stated.
The report added that following the RBI’s decision to shutter Paytm’s financial arm and wallets business, Paytm Payments Bank (PPBL), many employees are being asked to “voluntarily resign” without prior notice.
An employee added that layoffs have been happening since October. The affected employees have also formed a social media group to discuss and determine their next steps. Some of them are seeking advice from legal professionals, with at least one employee already lodging a complaint with the labour ministry.
