Capco India, a subsidiary of Wipro Ltd, has placed certain employees on garden leave and provided them with 2 to 3 months' pay. During this period, the affected employees are restricted from entering the office premises or engaging with any competing brands. 

The information regarding their garden leave was communicated to the employees via email.

Capco, a renowned global technology and management consultancy firm, is engaged in a diverse array of projects, encompassing financial reporting, accounting, finance on the cloud (FOTC), data remediation, and various other initiatives.

As per the report from TOI, before placing the employees on garden leave, Capco requested them to submit all pending work, timesheets, and fulfill exit formalities.

Several employees, speaking on the condition of anonymity to TOI, disclosed that they were asked to resign due to their inability to secure a position in other projects within Capco India. The report suggests that one of the main reasons for this layoff could be the decrease in work from HSBC, one of Capco's major clients.

What does Garden Leave mean?

Garden Leave refers to a period when an employee, upon resigning or being terminated, is required to stay away from the workplace during the notice period and is not permitted to work. However, the employee does receive compensation for this duration as per their entitlement.

While on garden leave, the employee is additionally barred from engaging in employment with any competing brand. 

In simpler terms, garden leave means the employee is physically restricted from entering the office premises. All access to confidential documents or portals is revoked during this period. It is a protective measure employed by a company's HR department to ensure that employees do not engage in any work-related activities.

Capco, a London-based company, was acquired by Wipro for approximately $1.5 billion (around Rs 10,500 crore) in 2021, making it the largest-ever acquisition by the Indian IT giant. With over 1500 consultants in India, Capco provides a range of services to its clients.