HCL underpaid H-1B workers, violated rules in US: Report

HCL Technologies paid lower wages to H-1B visa workers compared to similarly employed US workers in the past few years, according to a report by the Economic Policy Institute (EPI).

The report, based on its analysis of an internal company document, stated that thousands of skilled migrants with H-1B visas working as subcontractors at corporations like Disney, FedEx, Google, and others appear to have been underpaid by at least $95 million (Rs 720 crore).

The document, highlighting alleged violations by the Noida-based company, has been released as part of a whistleblower lawsuit.

According to a report by The Economic Times, Oracle experts with H-1B visas are paid $55,000 fewer than US workers, which is in violation of the H-1B programme that requires that immigrant visa holders be paid on a par with local US workers to ensure that American jobs are not taken away.

The report said, "Victims include not only the H-1B workers but also the US workers who are either displaced or whose wages and working conditions degrade when employers are allowed to underpay skilled migrant workers with impunity."

"HCL Technologies is strictly compliant with all relevant rules and regulations and is committed to pay wages to all employees in accordance with applicable laws," a spokesperson for HCL Technologies told the publication.

In 2020, HCL has approved 1,405 new visas and 2,801 visa renewals.

($1= Rs 75.79)

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