Equal Employment Opportunity policy can defend Wipro against lawsuit: Industry analysts

BENGALURU: Legal and industry analysts opine that the lawsuit filed by five former employees against IT major Wipro in a US court may not hold enough weight, especially if the corporate follows Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) policy, which it could use to defend itself.

The Bengaluru-headquartered IT services provider had found itself embroiled in a class action lawsuit filed by five former employees — four US nationals and an Iranian — who alleged it of following discriminatory HR practices by prioritising South Asians, particularly Indians, over US nationals.

The employees have sought injunctive, declaratory, equitable and monetary relief for “Wipro’s systematic pattern and practice of discriminatory employment practices based upon individual’s race and origin”.

Experts, however, say if Wipro has been following the EEO policy, there’s no cause for worry. “Although it is not a strict requirement, many IT companies, especially those with global operations, need to have a handbook or documented basic policy that outlines its recruitment process.

The EEO policy regards merit and skill set as the topmost criterion for recruitment, and hence, there is no question of prioritising a particular race or ethinicity for hiring process. In the absence of such a documented policy, employers find it harder to defend their positions when lawsuits of the above nature are filed,” said Shailesh Shah, founder, Strta Consulting.