Jayna Thanki
New Member
Hello,
I have a friend who is working on H1 for a company in MN for a year now. His job is stable and the visa is good for another 4 years! The problem is that his employer is taking advantage of the slow economy and is unreasonably demanding, as well as emotionally/professionally abusive! This friend was given a salary cut shortly after being hired, but the contract wasn\'t changed (INS not notified) until just a month ago. He never received any paid vacations or time off as promised at the time of hiring. In fact, there are no sick leaves either. If he has to take off for any reasons (i. e. medical or other emergencies), his pay is cut! He is required to work 9-10 hours a day on average plus he is most always asked to work on weekends, too! In the contract, it specifically states, "40 hours per week..." is expected of him. This friend has no problem helping out when the company is in urgent need, but this seems to have become the "normal routine" for the company to ask him to work on weekends. If [god forbid!] he doesn\'t go to work on weekends (still does some work from home on his own), his employer makes certain to send him at least about 50 e-mails asking him to "do this and that" as if this friend has taken the pledge to serve this company whether dead or alive and lives only to work for this employer and of course, sits in front of the computer 24 hours a day waiting for e-mails from the boss! The employer is Indian and only this friend is treated this way. There are other American employees who are never asked or harassed in this manner. Is there anything he can do, considering he is on H1? Can we take any legal actions against this employer for such abuse and discrimination of status without him instantly firing this friend and as a result, him having to leave the country right away? This friend is deeply disturbed, emotionally, and is having such a hard time doing anything else or even concentrating on his upcoming marriage? He is quite depressed and spends sleepless nights just thinking about this and I am afraid that it\'s making him suicidal! The previous employee who was working in the position this friend is working now actually got a note from a Psychiatrist stating that \'he is emotionally not well due to the working condition so he be let go from his contract...\' and went back to India in just 6+ months! His future wife can\'t sponsor him for at least a year so he has to somehow remain legal here in the interim and as we all know the job market is so low, especially for candidates requiring H1 sponsorship. If there is anyone who could at least provide H1 sponsorship, we are willing to pay the cost and will hunt for a job on our own. He has a 5-years Bachelor\'s degree from a reputed university in Bombay and has about 8-10 years of experience in the E-Commerce (multimedia, graphics, art) field so finding a job isn’t all that hard, but getting someone to also sponsor for his H1 is what, as we are discovering, really tough in this economy.
We would greatly appreciate any input/directions you could provide.
Thanks!
I have a friend who is working on H1 for a company in MN for a year now. His job is stable and the visa is good for another 4 years! The problem is that his employer is taking advantage of the slow economy and is unreasonably demanding, as well as emotionally/professionally abusive! This friend was given a salary cut shortly after being hired, but the contract wasn\'t changed (INS not notified) until just a month ago. He never received any paid vacations or time off as promised at the time of hiring. In fact, there are no sick leaves either. If he has to take off for any reasons (i. e. medical or other emergencies), his pay is cut! He is required to work 9-10 hours a day on average plus he is most always asked to work on weekends, too! In the contract, it specifically states, "40 hours per week..." is expected of him. This friend has no problem helping out when the company is in urgent need, but this seems to have become the "normal routine" for the company to ask him to work on weekends. If [god forbid!] he doesn\'t go to work on weekends (still does some work from home on his own), his employer makes certain to send him at least about 50 e-mails asking him to "do this and that" as if this friend has taken the pledge to serve this company whether dead or alive and lives only to work for this employer and of course, sits in front of the computer 24 hours a day waiting for e-mails from the boss! The employer is Indian and only this friend is treated this way. There are other American employees who are never asked or harassed in this manner. Is there anything he can do, considering he is on H1? Can we take any legal actions against this employer for such abuse and discrimination of status without him instantly firing this friend and as a result, him having to leave the country right away? This friend is deeply disturbed, emotionally, and is having such a hard time doing anything else or even concentrating on his upcoming marriage? He is quite depressed and spends sleepless nights just thinking about this and I am afraid that it\'s making him suicidal! The previous employee who was working in the position this friend is working now actually got a note from a Psychiatrist stating that \'he is emotionally not well due to the working condition so he be let go from his contract...\' and went back to India in just 6+ months! His future wife can\'t sponsor him for at least a year so he has to somehow remain legal here in the interim and as we all know the job market is so low, especially for candidates requiring H1 sponsorship. If there is anyone who could at least provide H1 sponsorship, we are willing to pay the cost and will hunt for a job on our own. He has a 5-years Bachelor\'s degree from a reputed university in Bombay and has about 8-10 years of experience in the E-Commerce (multimedia, graphics, art) field so finding a job isn’t all that hard, but getting someone to also sponsor for his H1 is what, as we are discovering, really tough in this economy.
We would greatly appreciate any input/directions you could provide.
Thanks!