A video shot in an unknown office in Dallas, Texas has gone viral, and has sparked massive outrage. The video was shared on Instagram, and shows a heated confrontation in a conference room.
The employer of this company had allegedly gotten into an argument. Their Telugu employees had come to him demanding months of unpaid salaries.
Many NRIs allege that Telugu consultancies often engage in wage theft. Users have named companies like Ardor IT, Sayeon LLC, and BN Talent Hub as among those who do not pay wages properly.
Similar cases in Dallas have also taken place recently. An Indian H-1B worker recently sued their company for being “benched,” and having to pay $100,000 to keep their job.
Unpaid benching, where an employee is not paid and not assigned work, is illegal in the United States. However, many Indian companies in the US allegedly engage in such practices.
These companies also threaten the immigration status of their employees if confronted. This is considered labour trafficking under US Labor Laws.
As of now, the company in the video has not been identified. But reports from Indian immigrants in Texas reveal state-wide allegations of wage theft.
These practices reveal a dark side of immigrant employment in the US. Many Indian workers in Indian-owned companies often go months without pay.
