Better.com employees informed about layoffs through severance checks 

Vishal Garg-led company was expected to announce layoffs on March 9 but instead of announcing it officially, the employees were informed about layoffs via severance checks.

Vishal Garg-led Better.com is in the news yet again for laying off a large number of employees. A TechCrunch report had revealed that the company will lay off over 4000 employees, which is almost 50 per cent of the workforce. It is now being reported that the company has already started laying off employees. The layoffs were scheduled to take place on March 9, Wednesday.

As per TechCrunch, better.com was expected to announce layoffs on March 9 but instead of announcing it officially, the employees were informed about layoffs via severance checks. An employee who wishes to remain anonymous told the publication that “they accidentally rolled out the severance payslips too early.” better.com was earlier supposed to carry out layoffs on March 8 but postponed the process after the initial dates got leaked.

An employee who came to know about the layoffs through severance check told TC, “Better Layoffs have started. Severance showing in our Workday app (which is payroll) as of 12 AM is in respective time zones. No email, no call, nothing. This was handled disgustingly. Leadership remained absolutely silent, never acknowledged anything in regards to layoffs. They still haven’t.”

Several employees have already been laid off. Linkedin is filled with posts from better.com employees about the layoffs. “Today I found out via my banking app that I was laid off from Better I would say that I am shocked, but I am more heartbroken than anything else. I moved as a single mother to a new city for this opportunity all on my own. Spent countless hours preparing and studying mortgage knowledge to advance my skills to be treated as if I didn’t matter. I understand layoffs happen. What I don’t understand is how the company communicated the news. I would appreciate any leads or opportunities anyone has to offer. As I am a mother who solely provides for my family. I thank you guys in advance,” Kiana Brown, a former employee of the company posted on LinkedIn.

Previously, better.com CEO Vishal Garg had fired over 900 employees on Zoom call. The video of the call had gone viral on social media, post which he was sent on a break for showing zero empathy towards the employees who were fired and in such an unhealthy fashion. He soon returned to his position but that triggered a series of resignations of senior officials.