Infosys is yet again facing legal action for age and gender discrimination by its former VP of talent acquisition, Jill Prejean in the US. Prejean has alleged that the firm has discriminated and retaliated against her.
A US judge denied Infosys’ request to dismiss Prejean’s claims that she was fired for objecting to discriminatory recruiting practices. It was contended that the firm has violated New York City Human Rights Law through retaliatory termination and a hostile work environment.
Back in 2021 as well, four female employees of the firm filed a complaint of discrimination with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in 2021. The complaint had alleged that the company has discriminated in favour of Indian and male employees.
The allegation
Prejean will be be proceeding against Mark Livingston, former SVP and head of consulting at Infosys, and former partners Dan Albright, and Jerry Kurtz. Livingston left Infosys in July this year. He was with the firm for nearly four years.
Prejean was appointed VP of Talent Acquisition in 2018, when she was 59 years old. She had said that in order to adjust to her new role, she set up meetings with Infosys’ partners to learn about their recruiting requirements and preferences. She was allegedly instructed to not to hire consultants of Indian descent, women with “children at home,” or applicants who were 50 or older.
Livingston is said to have replied by getting “disturbed and enraged” after Prejean informed him that these demands were unlawful. He allegedly also threatened to have her fired if she refused to give in.
Prejean has also alleged that she continued to endure harassment, hostility and pressure from Livingston, Kurtz and Albright as a part of “pressure campaign” to persuade her to discriminate when recruiting Infosys employees.
Queries sent by businessline did not elicit a response at the time of publication.
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Published on October 7, 2022
