Dozens accuse TCS of favoring Indian workers over older US employees; company says allegations ‘misleading’ – Times of India

The US Equal Employment Alternative Fee (EEOC) is investigating dozens of allegations that Tata Consultancy Companies (TCS), India’s largest IT outsourcer, discriminated towards its American workers primarily based on age, race, and nationwide origin. The claims primarily come from professionals over the age of 40, many of whom say they have been focused in layoffs whereas Indian colleagues, together with these engaged on H-1B visas, have been spared, reported Bloomberg.
TCS, which has greater than 6,00,000 workers globally, responded to the allegations by labeling them as “meritless and deceptive.” A company spokesperson mentioned, “TCS has a powerful observe report of being an equal alternative employer within the US, embracing the best ranges of integrity and values in our operations.”
The complaints, which began surfacing in late 2023, have raised issues concerning the company’s remedy of non-South Asian workers. Because the EEOC investigation continues, the company has not launched any public particulars, as federal regulation protects the confidentiality of complaints.
A Bloomberg Information overview of the complaints, which haven’t been publicly disclosed, reveals that the EEOC’s probe started throughout President Biden’s administration and has continued underneath President Trump’s.
In an April 2024 letter, US Consultant Seth Moulton (D-Mass.) urged the EEOC to contemplate opening an investigation into TCS, citing a possible sample of discrimination towards American workers.
Moulton emphasised that TCS’s practices may contain the misuse of US work visa packages meant to deal with labor shortages. “TCS’s actions might have constituted a sample-or-observe of discrimination impacting People that falls throughout the EEOC’s jurisdiction,” Moulton wrote.
This isn’t the primary time TCS has confronted such scrutiny. Within the UK, three former workers filed related claims of discrimination towards the company, alleging bias primarily based on age and nationality as half of a redundancy program. TCS has additionally denied these allegations.
The EEOC’s investigation follows a 2020 probe into Cognizant Know-how Options, one other main outsourcing agency, which discovered that the company had discriminated towards over 2,000 non-Indian workers between 2013 and 2022. A jury agreed with the EEOC’s findings, and Cognizant now plans to enchantment the decision.
TCS, which counts main US shoppers equivalent to airways, automakers, and monetary establishments, has additionally confronted criticism over its use of visa packages, significantly the L-1A visa. Bloomberg reported in February 2024 that the company has closely relied on the L-1A visa program, which is designed for inner company transfers. Some former workers allege that TCS used the L-1A program to avoid H-1B visa guidelines, allegations the company denies.
TCS has come underneath additional scrutiny attributable to feedback from its head of world HR, Milind Lakkad, who reportedly informed an information company that the company deliberate to scale back the share of American workers in its US workforce from 70% to 50%. Lakkad mentioned this transfer would open up alternatives for workers in India. This comment has been cited in workers’ complaints to the EEOC as proof of discriminatory practices.
Underneath the management of Andrea R Lucas, appointed by President Trump in January as appearing EEOC chair, the company has pledged to accentuate its efforts to deal with discrimination towards American workers. Lucas has emphasised that “illegal bias towards American workers” is a rising concern throughout the nation and that tackling unlawful discrimination will assist cut back the demand for international workers.
TCS, nonetheless, has declined to touch upon particular particulars from the workers’ complaints, and the investigation continues.