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Startup Forces AI Team to Sleep on Office Floor, Then Fires Them
11 Jun
Summary
- Employees slept on the office floor in sleeping bags for around-the-clock work.
- A female techie reported being verbally terminated without documentation.
- The startup allegedly withheld earned wages from the terminated team.
A tech startup has been accused of forcing its AI deployment team to sleep on the office floor using provided sleeping bags. This extreme measure was reportedly implemented to enable the team, primarily consisting of recent graduates, to work around the clock on computer vision and AI projects throughout May. The team faced immense pressure and demanding deadlines.
According to a social media post by one employee, the office lacked basic facilities like showers, making the situation particularly uncomfortable and unhygienic for many. Following a major deployment failure, the junior engineers were allegedly blamed, despite following instructions. They were subsequently subjected to verbal termination without any written warnings, performance improvement plans, or formal termination letters.
Furthermore, the employees claim their earned wages for May have been withheld. When they requested documentation, management reportedly suggested it would negatively impact their records. The techie is seeking advice on recovering wages, warning other fresh graduates to meticulously document all work-related interactions.
The viral post has ignited public outcry, with many users condemning the startup's actions as harassment and labor law violations, and advising legal recourse.
