Canadian coding school Lighthouse Labs laid off 14 employees in April 2020, representing just over 26 percent of its then 53-person workforce. The layoffs were a direct result of operational changes necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced the company to shift its in-person bootcamps online. This transition drastically altered 25 to 30 roles, particularly in marketing and physical operations. While 14 staff were let go, another 12 were initially moved to reduced hours through a government work-share program. However, following the approval of a federal wage subsidy, Lighthouse was able to bring all affected employees back to full-time work by mid-April. The company, which operates bootcamps across Canada, also launched a scholarship fund to support those unemployed due to the pandemic.
