BENGALURU: A US court has found IT services company Cognizant Technology Solutions guilty of discriminatory conduct towards non-Indian workers and that the company should pay punitive damages to compensate employees who suffered harm.
The case is Palmer v. Cognizant Tech Solutions and it claims the IT giant misused the H-1B visa programme. As per reports, the firm had the highest number of H-1B visas of any US employer from 2013 to 2019.
Cognizant in a statement said it is disappointed with the verdict and plans to defend itself and appeal at the appropriate time. “We provide equal employment opportunities for all and have built a diverse and inclusive workplace that promotes a culture of belonging in which all feel valued, are engaged and have the opportunity to develop and succeed,” it said. It stated, “Cognizant doesn’t tolerate discrimination and takes such claims seriously. Christy Palmer v. Cognizant was initially filed in 2017 and addresses plaintiffs’ claims dating back to 2013.”
The jury said the company engaged in a ‘pattern or practice’ of discrimination against a class of non-South Asian and non-Indian employees who were terminated. Plaintiffs claimed they were dismissed after a five-week period without work and that their positions were filled by Indian workers.
The lawsuit claimed the firm used policies and practices related to hiring, promotion, and termination that have had a disparate impact on the basis of national origin and race that are neither job-related for the positions at issue nor consistent with business necessity.