Bengaluru: One of the top five Indian IT firms, Infosys has snatched the freedom of its employees as it barred them from working with its competitors.
The employees of the company cannot work with Infosys competitors for 6 months if their clients are the same as that of Infosys.
In the offer letter for new employees, the company has added a new which can be considered a very strict clause.
The rule added as a clause in the offer letter stated, "n consideration of the above, I agree that for a period of six (6) months following the termination of my employment with Infosys for any reason, I will not:
a. accept any offer of employment from any Customer, where I had worked in a professional capacity with that Customer in the twelve (12) months immediately preceding the termination of my employment with Infosys;
b. accept any offer of employment from a Named Competitor of Infosys, if my employment with such Named Competitor would involve me having to work with a Customer with whom I had worked in the twelve (12) months immediately preceding the termination of my employment with Infosys."
The company has clearly named its competitors in the letter. As per the letter, Infosys's competitors are TCS, IBM, Cognizant, Wipro, and Accenture.
According to reports, the company has come out with such a strict clause because the attrition rate has increased. Interestingly, the other companies are also facing similar problems.
Meanwhile, taking cognizance of the matter and after receiving numerous complaints from Infosys employees, Nascent Information Technology Employees Senate (NITES) has filed a complaint with the Ministry of Labour and Employment.
Taking to micro-blogging site Twitter, NITES said, ''After illegal employment bonds, unreasonable notice period here comes another inconsequent clause to exploit careers of IT and ITES employees. #NITES is filing a complaint to @LabourMinistry against Infosys for removing such illegal clause from the employment letters.''
"The restriction contained in the Employment letter which is mentioned above is clearly in restraint of trade and therefore illegal under section 27 of the Contract Act,'' NITES said in its complaint.
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