Fannie Mae, the large American firm, has to let go of 700 workers this week. Among them, some 200–most of whom were Telugu-speaking Indians–were terminated for “moral reasons.”
Some employees, according to sources, were involved in a scheme with the company’s donation match plan. This plan donates money to non-profit organizations when employees give. But in this situation, employees allegedly collaborated with such groups as TANA (Telugu Association of North America) and exploited the funds. One of the individuals who got fired had even held an upper position at TANA.
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This isn’t the first time this has been done. Apple laid off more than 100 employees in January for similar offenses. They were accused of misrepresenting donations so the funds would be matched by Apple, yet no actual donation was made.
Such news is unsettling for many Indian professionals working in the US, particularly those holding H1B visas. Losing employment is traumatic enough, but being terminated due to moral problems can damage one’s career and visa status.
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More investigations are underway, and other non-profits might be implicated as well. As corporations being examining more intensely how their contribution programs are utilized, more such instances could be revealed.
