Cisco Accused of Job Discrimination Based mostly on Indian Worker’s Caste

California regulators sued Cisco Methods on Tuesday, accusing it of discriminating in opposition to an Indian-American worker and permitting him to be harassed by two managers as a result of he was from a decrease Indian caste than them.

US employment regulation doesn’t particularly bar caste-based discrimination, however California’s Division of Honest Employment and Housing contends within the lawsuit that the Hindu religion’s lingering caste system relies on protected courses similar to faith.

The lawsuit, filed in federal court docket in San Jose, doesn’t title the alleged sufferer. It states he has been a principal engineer at Cisco’s San Jose headquarters since October 2015 and that he was born on the backside of caste hierarchy as a Dalit, as soon as known as “untouchables.”

Like different massive Silicon Valley employers, Cisco’s workforce contains 1000’s of Indian immigrants, most of whom have been born Brahmins or different excessive castes.

Former Cisco engineering managers Sundar Iyer and Ramana Kompella are also defendants within the lawsuit, which accuses them of harassment for internally implementing the caste hierarchy.

Cisco spokeswoman Robyn Blum mentioned the community gear maker adopted its course of to research worker considerations on this case and would “vigorously defend itself” in opposition to the lawsuit.

“Cisco is dedicated to an inclusive office for all,” she mentioned. “We have been totally in compliance with all legal guidelines in addition to our personal insurance policies.”

Iyer and Kompella didn’t instantly reply to requests for remark. It was not instantly identified if the 2 have retained attorneys.

The civil rights group Equality Labs in a 2018 report cited within the lawsuit discovered that 67 p.c of Dalits surveyed felt handled unfairly at their US workplaces.

At Cisco, the unnamed worker reported Iyer to human sources in November 2016 for outing him as a Dalit to colleagues. Iyer allegedly retaliated, however Cisco decided caste discrimination was not unlawful and points continued by 2018, the lawsuit states.

Cisco reassigned and remoted the worker, rejected a elevate and alternatives that might have led to 1 and denied two promotions, in line with the lawsuit.

Hindus historically grouped folks into 4 main castes primarily based on ancestry, and Dalits in India nonetheless wrestle with entry to schooling and jobs 65 years after India banned caste-based discrimination.

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