Kerala: Widespread outrage has erupted in Kerala after approximately 900 medical coding professionals employed at the Indian operations of a US-based healthcare analytics firm were abruptly terminated upon reporting for duty on Friday morning. The sudden layoffs, which affected staff across the company’s offices in Kochi and Kozhikode, triggered immediate employee protests and prompted swift intervention from the state government. The terminated workers alleged that the management forced them out without any prior notice, completely bypassing contractual notice periods.
Following demonstrations by the affected staff outside the company’s premises, local Thrikkakara Congress MLA Uma Thomas intervened to challenge the management’s decision. Thomas visited the site and directly contacted Labour Minister Bindhu Krishna to address the brewing crisis. Speaking to reporters, the MLA expressed grave concern that such unexpected dismissals would severely impact the lives and livelihoods of the employees and their families.
The Kerala Labour Department has stepped into the dispute to evaluate the legal compliance of the mass layoffs and work towards an immediate resolution. Department officials held initial discussions with company representatives in Kochi, resulting in a decision to put the termination process on temporary hold. The company has since assured state authorities that no further action regarding layoffs will be taken until a formal meeting takes place with the Labour Secretary, who is scheduled to arrive on July 6 to lead detailed negotiations.
While the primary objective of the state intervention remains ensuring that the employees continue in their service, the management has agreed to discuss compensation options in accordance with directives from the labour officer should reinstatement prove unfeasible. Company authorities have so far declined to respond to media queries regarding the mass terminations.
