TCS receives notice from Maharashtra Labour Department regarding "forced" transfers

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has received a notification over its transfer policies from the Maharashtra government's Labour Department. The action was taken in response to a formal complaint against TCS for its "unethical transfer practices" that the Pune-based union Nascent Information Technology Employees Senate (NITES) filed with the Ministry of Labour and Employment. According to NITES, TCS has been "systematically forcing more than 2,000 employees to transfer to different cities without proper notice or consultation, causing immense hardship for them and their families."  

NITES said it filed a complaint with Maharashtra’s Ministry of Labour and Employment after it allegedly received more than 300 complaints accusing TCS of causing hardship to employees by transferring them to different cities without proper notice or consultation.

“The company had threatened the employees that failure to comply with the transfer directions will result in disciplinary actions. The company now has unethically stopped the salary of employees who are opposing these forced transfers,” said Harpreet Singh Saluja, president of NITES. 

An email TCS sent to some employees to move to Mumbai said: “This is with reference to your transfer order to TCS Mumbai followed by a transfer email directing you to report to the said branch within 14 days and complete the transfer process. However, it has been noted that you have failed to report to the transferred branch till date...the company is initiating a stoppage of your salary with immediate effect.” 'Business Standard' has seen this email. 

In July 2023, NITES filed a complaint with the labour ministry after TCS allegedly delayed onboarding of lateral recruits.