By Kashmira Konduparty
A laid off employee at Webflow publicly criticized the company after discovering he may have lost his job only after being locked out of his work laptop without a warning. The employee said he received no email or direct communication before losing access to company systems, according to a report by Economic Times. The incident sparked wider criticism online over how technology companies are handling layoffs amid growing AI-driven restructuring.
The Canada-based software developer shared a LinkedIn post tagging Webflow CEO Linda Tong after he was unable to access his company laptop early in the morning. He said: “Rumor has it we’ve been laid off, but I don’t have an email or any message to confirm anything.”
In the same post, he also tagged his manager, asking “Do I have a job?” and then, confirmed his layoff in the comments section.
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The employee’s LinkedIn post quickly gained attention online, drawing thousands of reactions and comments from current and former employees. Several commenters claimed they experienced similar situations where they discovered layoffs after losing the account access.
The employee specifically criticized the company for allegedly repeating mistakes from earlier layoffs. “I actually said: ‘I don’t think Linda would lay people off again without letting them know first, especially if they’re on a closed work permit in a foreign country and it would mean relocating their whole family, I’m certain she would have the dignity to let folks know in a better way, given the debacle last time,’” he said in the post.
Webflow later confirmed layoffs as part of a company restructuring tied to changes in the web-development industry caused by artificial intelligence. CEO Tong said “AI is rewriting the rules for how marketing teams create, test and optimize digital experiences. And the companies move decisively through moments like this are the ones that come out ahead.”
The company said restricting access before notifications was part of a security process intended to protect consumer and company data.
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Webflow said that it now plans to focus more heavily on enterprise customers and AI-integrated services. Many technology companies are restructuring operations as AI tools increasingly automate tasks previously performed by employees.
The layoffs come during continued workforce cuts across the technology sector. Companies including Google, Meta and other Silicon Valley firms have announced restructuring tied partly to AI investment and cost reductions. Workers fear increasing AI adoption could accelerate job displacement in the tech industry.
Webflow said affected employees would receive 16 weeks of severance pay, additional compensation based on years worked and continued benefits support for U.S.- based workers, according to a media report.