A group of five former employees of Wipro in the United States has filed a class action lawsuit accusing the Indian IT company of “employment discrimination” against individuals who are not South Asian and who are not of Indian origin.

The lawsuit filed in a District Court in New Jersey claims that while only about 12 per cent of the United States’ IT industry (the industry in which Wipro operates) is South Asian, at least 80 per cent (or more) of Wipro’s United States workforce is South Asian (primarily from India).

“This grossly disproportionate workforce results from Wipro’s practice of employment discrimination against individuals who are not South Asian and who are not of Indian national origin, including discrimination in hiring, promotion, and termination decisions, and its use of employment practices that result in a disparate impact on those same groups,” the lawsuit said.

When contacted, the company said: “Wipro does not comment on pending litigation”.