The Nascent Information Technology Employees Senate (NITES) has filed an official complaint with the Labour Ministry against Infosys for allegedly terminating around 700 employees. The affected employees were reportedly recent campus recruits who had already faced two years of delay in their onboarding process.
Harpreet Singh Saluja, lawyer and NITES president, addressed the issue in a letter to Labour and Employment Minister Mansukh Mandaviya. Saluja alleged that the employees were terminated unethically and demanded immediate intervention to halt further layoffs until proper legal procedures are followed.
Demands and Allegations
NITES has called for:
- An investigation into the terminations
- Penal action against Infosys for violating the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947
- Reinstatement of terminated employees with appropriate compensation
The organisation also accused Infosys of using intimidation tactics, including deploying bouncers and security personnel, to enforce compliance with the company’s decision.
Saluja warned that Infosys’ actions could set a negative precedent, encouraging other corporations to adopt similar unlawful practices.
Infosys Responds to Allegations
Infosys has refuted the claims, stating that the terminations were not unethical. According to the company, the affected employees failed to meet internal performance standards.
“We have a rigorous hiring process where all freshers, after undergoing extensive training at our Mysuru campus, are required to pass internal assessments. Freshers are given three attempts to clear these assessments, failing which they cannot continue with the organisation, as outlined in their contracts,” Infosys said in a statement.
The company clarified that fewer than 350 employees were affected and emphasized that this process, which has been in place for over two decades, is crucial to maintaining a high standard of talent for clients.
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Industry Concerns and Implications
NITES contends that Infosys’ actions undermine employee rights and create an exploitative work environment. The complaint comes at a time when the IT sector is under scrutiny for hiring and layoff practices, particularly as companies face global economic challenges and shifting business priorities.
The resolution of this case is likely to have a significant impact on the industry, potentially influencing how hiring policies, employee assessments, and contractual obligations are handled across major corporations in India’s IT sector.
