For years, the US visa program intended for skilled foreign workers has raised concerns among American workers about potential job loss to foreign counterparts willing to accept lower wages.
Recently, a group of experienced American professionals has reportedly accused the Indian IT giant, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), of sudden terminations and subsequent replacement of many positions with workers from India holding H1-B visas.
Since late December, at least 22 workers have filed complaints with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission against TCS.
The company reportedly serves numerous major firms in the United States, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal.
The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday that American workers have accused TCS of engaging in illegal discrimination based on race and age.
Allegations include the termination of their employment and the delegation of some of their responsibilities to lower-paid Indian immigrants holding temporary work visas.
Former TCS employees from the United States include Caucasians, Asian-Americans, and Hispanic Americans, ranging in age from their 40s to their 60s and residing in over a dozen states across the country.
Many of them reportedly hold master's degrees in business administration or other advanced qualifications.
A TCS spokesperson informed the Journal that allegations of the company participating in unlawful discrimination are unfounded and misleading.
The spokesperson emphasized that TCS maintains a strong record of being an equal opportunity employer in the United States and conducts its operations with integrity.
According to the Journal, these complaints once again raise concerns about the use of H-1B visas by Indian IT companies.
The report noted that several prominent US tech companies, such as Google, Microsoft, and Meta, which have distinct business models from outsourcing firms, also utilize H-1B visas to hire high-wage employees. These companies have faced comparatively less criticism in this regard.