TCS Employee Fighting Sexual Harassment Case Removed from Project

Sarita* (name changed), an employee based in Chennai at the tech giant Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), is awaiting a verdict from the Kanchipuram labour court in a 'sexual harassment at workplace' case. Meanwhile, she has once again accused the management of severely victimising her for pursuing the case. Read more

The court judgment has been adjourned four times since July 14. Two days before the mentioned date, Sarita was allegedly called for an urgent discussion by the project team and informed that she was being released from the current project.

She was released from the project despite receiving the topmost 'A-band' appraisal rating in April this year. Sarita joined TCS in January 2013 and has been a consistently high performer who has received awards and appreciation for her work.

Over the past four years, the complainant has repeatedly raised concerns about the management purposely delaying court proceedings, saying it has caused her mental and financial stress.

As of now, the court verdict is expected to be out on September 9.

‘REMOVED WITHOUT REASON’

Over the past six weeks, Sarita has time and again informed NewsClick regarding the alleged deteriorating work conditions and the targeted mistreatment.

On July, 12 she said “Ahead of judgement the day after tomorrow, they are torturing me like anything. I am unable to bear the mistreatment.” On August 18, she said, “The shabby treatment continues; they have just removed me from all calendar invites, groups and distribution lists.” On August 23, she said, “I am very afraid to log into my laptop or check emails. I am unable to sleep thinking about this.”

The Voice of Information Technology Professionals (VOIP), a trade union of IT employees in Tamil Nadu, has raised some pertinent questions in this context. It asked: “Though the management has the power to release an employee from a project, why was a smoother transition of business not practised?” “Why was the decision to release the worker planned in a hurry and without sufficient notice period?” “How was the client fine with the immediate release of a top-performing worker?” 

The VOIP statement released on August 25 stated: “The lack of transparency and openness raises suspicion over management’s decision to release the worker from the project.”

Sarita fears she would soon be terminated or made to forcefully resign, all this for fighting a case of sexual harassment at the workplace.

'LED TO HEALTH CONCERNS'

Since the second week of July, the project manager has allegedly behaved in an unprofessional and rude manner with Sarita. “The sudden indifferent behaviour by her manager, who earlier promised her a promotion and a ‘star quarter award’ made her tense, resulting in her BP shooting to 180,” claimed the Forum for IT Employees (FITE) in a letter dated August 22. 

“I developed chest pain while talking in an office call and collapsed on August 10, but they just do not have any concern for my health,” alleged Sarita. Her health report dated August 10 diagnosed her with hypertension.

“Due to all the stress, I have had heavy bleeding during my periods this month. I had to be hospitalised and administer drips. Yet, I was made to join calls,” claimed Sarita on August 15.

“Considering her poor health, the manager could have postponed her last date in the project, so that she had time to hand over the activities. But he pressured her so much that she had to work even on Independence Day,” said FITE. FITE has submitted a letter to the state IT minister and labour minister seeking intervention.

To deal with the emotional stress, the complainant approached the TCS emotional care helpline on Aug 17, 2023; however, she was scheduled inconveniently for a session at midnight. She has, however, taken help from the Tamil Nadu government health department helpline.

‘REINSTATE HER’

The trade unions involved have asked the TCS management to reconsider their decision to remove Sarita from the team.

"The series of events that led to her gradual removal from the project and the subsequent progression towards potentially more harmful treatment are essentially uncalled for, especially considering there are no other work-related issues or shortcomings. Degrading or demoting an employee for no tangible reason is in violation of the law," read the letter from the All India Working Women Forum of AITUC to the TCS delivery head overseeing the ITERGO customer, dated August 24th.

FITE’s letter on the same day read: “It is not appropriate on the employer’s part to stress the worker any further, considering that she was already transferred between projects multiple times in the last four years. It is high time she was given a stable and long-term stint in the account she is already working. We request you to reinstate her back in the ITERGO account at the earliest.”

TCS: TOP EMPLOYER OF WOMEN

As of December 2022, a Business Insider report recognised TCS as the leading employer of women among the 500 most valuable companies. Out of its 6 lakh employees, 35% are women. However, how safe these workspaces are for women is questionable.

Recent allegations raise questions about process lapses. India CSR states that TCS saw a sharp increase in sexual harassment complaints during the fiscal year 2022-23, with 49 filed cases, a significant leap from the 36 during the financial year 2021-22. More disconcerting is the number of unresolved cases, with eight pending at the end of FY 2022-23, compared to 16 pending the previous year.

The trade unions have asked TCS to appreciate its woman employee for having had the courage to challenge a perpetrator of sexual crime and stand by her at this crucial time.

NewsClick approached TCS management via official email addresses but did not receive any response.