Apr 03, 2012, 06.07 PM IST

Judge grants class action status to Tata wage suit

Tata Sons Ltd employees who were deployed from India to work in information technology jobs in the United States won the right on Monday to proceed with a class action lawsuit against the Indian corporate giant over unpaid wages.

Source: Reuters
Share Share on Tumblr
Share  .  Email  .  Print  .  A+
Judge grants class action status to Tata wage suit
Tata Sons Ltd employees who were deployed from India to work in information technology jobs in the United States won the right on Monday to proceed with a class action lawsuit against the Indian corporate giant over unpaid wages.


California federal judge Claudia Wilken granted class-action status to the suit that accuses Mumbai-based Tata and its subsidiary, Tata Consultancy Services , of breaching employee contracts and violating California labor laws.


Two former employees accused the company in 2006 of forcing all non-US-citizen workers to sign over their US federal and state tax refund checks to the company. Tata also deducted their Indian wages from their compensation, the suit alleged.


The judge authorized one national class of plaintiffs, comprised of non-U.S. citizens who worked at the company between 2002 and 2005, to sue for contract violations. The court certified a separate class of employees to bring claims under California labor laws.


"More than 10,000 current and former Indian nationals working for Tata in America now may have their day in court," Kelly Dermody, a lead attorney for the employees, said in a statement.


Robert Steiner, a lawyer for Tata America International Corporation with Kelley Drye & Warren, did not respond immediately to a request for comment.


Tata Sons Ltd is the holding company for salt-to-software conglomerate Tata Group, India's biggest corporate house.


The case is Vedachalam v. Tata America International Corporation et al, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California (Oakland), No. 06-963.


Set email alert for

LinkedIn bans prostitutes and escorts from its network
Advani, Swaraj can't wash their hands of  BJP's Karnataka defeat "Advani, Swaraj can't wash their hands of BJP's Karnataka defeat"

From DJ EU Officials Spain Aid Cap Of 100 Bn Euros 'should Be Enough'

The latest earning numbers FIRST on CNBC-TV18
News Videos

May 18 2013, 17:26

No asset class is risk-free: Axis Cap`s Nandan Chakraborty

- in MARKET OUTLOOK

May 17 2013, 12:39

F&O cues: Nifty to hover in 5800-6200, says Amit Trivedi

- in MARKET OUTLOOK