US Senators question TCS over hiring practices, H-1B practices
What's the story
Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), India's largest IT company, has come under scrutiny from US Senators. In a letter addressed to TCS CEO K Krithivasan, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Charles Grassley and ranking member Richard Durbin have raised concerns over the company's hiring practices in the US. They also sought clarification on whether any Americans have been displaced by H-1B workers and if there's wage parity between these foreign hires and local staff.
Layoff concerns
Layoffs and H-1B petitions during the same period
The Senators' letter also highlighted TCS's recent announcement of laying off over 12,000 employees globally, including Americans. Specifically, nearly five dozen employees were laid off from the company's Jacksonville office alone. The letter further criticized the company for filing H-1B visa petitions for thousands of foreign workers during this period. In FY 2025 alone, TCS received approval to hire 5,505 H-1B employees, making it the second-largest employer of newly-approved H-1B beneficiaries in America.
Workforce inquiry
Investigation into age discrimination claims
The Senators expressed skepticism over TCS's inability to find qualified American tech workers for these positions. They also highlighted that the company is already under investigation by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission for allegedly firing older American workers in favor of newly hired South-Asian H-1B employees. The letter emphasized that "TCS is doing itself no favors by replacing Americans with H-1Bs while this investigation is ongoing."
Hiring practices
Nine questions posed to TCS
The Senators have posed nine questions to TCS, demanding a detailed response with data by October 10, 2025. Among other things, they asked why the company is hiring foreign tech workers when hundreds of thousands of American tech workers have been laid off in recent years. They also asked if TCS made a 'good faith effort' to fill open positions with Americans before filing H-1B petitions and whether it has displaced any American employees with H-1B employees.
Transparency concerns
More queries regarding hiring practices
The Senators also questioned TCS's transparency in its hiring practices. They asked if the company hides H-1B recruitment ads by listing them separately from general hiring ads. The letter also sought details on whether H-1B hires are given the same salary and benefits as American workers with similar qualifications. Finally, they asked if TCS outsources any hiring to contractors or staffing firms that place these foreign workers within the organization.