Pune woman laid off by Canva on maternity leave shares how severance will help

Pune-based Shraddha Khule, who joined Canva in 2023, spoke about the benefits in a video titled "This is what Canva is offering us as our severance package" after her layoff.Pune woman laid off by Canva on maternity leave shares how severance will help (Photos: Shraddha Khule/Instagram) A woman from Pune who lost her job at Canva while on maternity leave has explained how the company's severance package will help laid-off employees navigate their next steps.Canva announced earlier this week that it would lay off 1,271 employees, or 22 per cent of its workforce, as part of a major restructuring. The company's approach to supporting departing employees has drawn praise from social media users, with several appreciating the benefits being offered.Shraddha Khule, who joined Canva in 2023, spoke about the benefits in a video titled “This is what Canva is offering us as our severance package.”“Is Canva giving us all those things that it said it would? It is,” Shraddha said, explaining how the benefits would help employees transition to their next opportunities. Under the severance package, laid-off employees can retain their company-issued MacBooks, ensuring that those who do not own personal laptops have a device to continue their job search.The package also includes a one-year LinkedIn Premium subscription, dedicated career support with one-on-one coaching and interview preparation, and access to an alumni talent directory to explore job opportunities. Explaining the rationale behind the laptop benefit, Shraddha said it would be particularly useful for employees who did not have a personal device at home.“This is to make sure that the laid-off employees have a machine to keep their job hunt on because not everybody owns a personal laptop at home,” she said.The package also offers 12 months of healthcare coverage and family health access, subject to eligibility, as well as a $10,000 grant for employees who want to start something of their own.“I mean, who does that? I know. Canva does,” Shraddha added.However, what stood out particularly for Shraddha was the six months' salary in advance. She revealed that she had initially assumed she might not qualify for the benefit because she was on maternity leave. Canva, however, confirmed that she would still receive it.“Now, remember how I mentioned that I am on maternity leave? When I initially thought about the severance pay, I assumed I might not be eligible for it. However, Canva got back to me and confirmed that I would still receive six months' advance salary,” she said.Shraddha expressed gratitude for the support she had received, while acknowledging that she would miss the company.“Are all these benefits worth walking away from a professional journey and a career at Canva? Absolutely not,” she said, adding that it had been a great ride.While the severance package has offered some support, Khule had earlier spoken about the shock of losing a job she had long aspired to have.“So, I lost my job at Canva today. I joined Canva in 2023. For as long as I can remember, Canva was one company where I really, really wanted to work. To get a job there was like a dream come true. However, when I received the email saying my role had been impacted, I really couldn't think,” she said in an earlier video.Despite the disappointment, Shraddha praised the company for the way it handled the restructuring. She also recalled how supportive Canva had been during her maternity leave, even when she was not in Australia.She said the company had approved her request to extend her maternity leave by a few months after she contacted her manager and coach on Slack.“If you ever get a chance to work at Canva, please do so because you will never get a company like this. That was like the best time I had in my professional career,” she said.Shraddha also expressed gratitude for the company's support when she relocated to Dubai for a period.“Of course, I am sad but I am very proud that, yes, I worked at Canva. The way they handled the restructuring is really commendable,” she had said.Canva CEO and co-founder Melanie Perkins described the restructuring as the hardest moment in the company's 13-year history and acknowledged the human cost of the decision.The layoffs come as Canva has lowered its projected revenue growth for 2026 from 30 per cent to 20 per cent.- Ends