CorroHealth denies entry to around 850 laid-off medical coders despite govt intervention
Kerala Labour Department officials intervene after workers employed at a US company complained that firm ignored a pact reached during talks with state authorities
Kochi, Jul 7 (PTI) The Labour Department officials intervened on Tuesday after US-based healthcare technology company CorroHealth denied entry to laid-off employees at its Kochi office, allegedly going against the consensus reached during discussions with government authorities following the company's decision to lay off employees last week, officials said.
On Monday, Kerala Labour Commissioner Safna Nazarudeen and Thrikkakara MLA Uma Thomas held talks with CorroHealth's legal adviser after the company recently laid off around 850 employees engaged in medical coding work at its Kochi and Kozhikode offices.
Following the meeting, it was decided that the company would allow the employees to enter the office till July 10, when Kerala Labour Minister Bindhu Krishna is scheduled to hold discussions with the management.
However, when the employees turned up for work on Tuesday, they were denied entry to the office, Labour Department officials said.
Soon after, Thomas and Labour Department officials reached the office and held discussions with the employees.
Following the discussions, the Labour Department decided to record employees' attendance.
"We have asked them to write their names and signatures to record their attendance. We will treat those who reported for duty as present based on the list submitted by them, and the matter will be taken up with the management," Thomas told reporters.
The employees waited outside the office for hours before recording their attendance.
A similar situation prevailed at CorroHealth's Kozhikode office, where around 200 employees were also denied entry.
Labour Department officials there, too, decided to record employees' attendance after holding discussions with them, officials said.
Already, political parties including Congress and CPI(M) have extended support to the employees, alleging that the central government’s Labour Codes enabled companies to terminate people without reporting it to the labour department or the state.
Labour Minister Bindhu Krishna had earlier said that a meeting with the company management would be held in Kochi on July 10 to resolve the issue amicably.
There was no immediate response from the company on this issue. PTI