HCL Justifies Its Arm-Twisting Tactics For Employees: Return Bonus If You Want Relieving Certificate

In a story developing since the start of this month, IT giant HCL Technologies is forcing its employees to return variable pay, incentives and bonuses they received in that performance review cycle, if they resign from their positions.

These employees, who are now serving their notice periods are being asked to return upto Rs 1.5 lakh, which they received earlier in their salaries, or the company would withhold their experience certificate, relieving letter and other employment documents and benefits.

Trak.in has continuously being tracking the events transpiring around this topic, wherein we have had numerous employees recite their actual experiences, related to the event.

You can find the complete article here.

HCL Justifies Its Act, Employee Unions Condemn

HCL Technologies, as per a new clause, is directing its employees who have resigned before the completion of the ongoing performance review cycle, to pay back the advances and bonuses they received every month paired with the monthly salaries until the date of resignation, during the fiscal year.

While this is creating a burden on employees, as many used the advance paid in conjunction with the monthly salaries, HCL Tech stated that none of what it has been doing, is unknown to the employees.

As per a mail sent by the company to its employees, “If the employee resigns and the last working day is during September 1, 2021, to March, 31, 2022, the employee performance bonus (EPB) amount from April 2021, till the last working day will be recovered in full.”

The company is paying out the EPB amount every month, along with the salaries.

According to an HCL spokesperson, “Supporting employees is HCL’s top priority. We have strict global compliance policies whereby every relevant applicable law, including those applicable to employees, are adhered to as per the laws of the countries we operate in.

We would like to put on record that the matter around recovery of bonuses has been incorrectly reported. As a law-abiding organization, HCL follows the best HR practices and continues to honor commitments and work in a fair and equitable manner towards all including employees.”

Employee unions have condemned HCL’s act and have intimated the labour minister Bhupender Yadav about the same.

After Harpreet Singh Saluja, President, Nascent Information Technology Employees Senate NITES sent a complaint letter to the Labor Ministry, they have received an acknowledgement of the same, and the Govt officials are working on this grave matter, that is impacting thousands of IT employees.

We are in touch with Mr. Harpreet, and will keep updating on the latest developments.