Indian H-1B worker sues employer for forcing to pay Rs 94 lakh to keep US job, files lawsuit
The worker, Rishikesh Raj Meesala, alleged that his employer, Sai Jitender Kalagra, along with company officials, demanded money from him, withheld important payroll documents, and threatened to report him to US immigration authorities if he refused to comply.
PTC News Desk: An Indian tech worker in the US has filed a lawsuit in Texas, claiming that his employer forced him to pay nearly $100,000 to keep his job and maintain his legal immigration status.
The worker, Rishikesh Raj Meesala, alleged that his employer, Sai Jitender Kalagra, along with company officials, demanded money from him, withheld important payroll documents, and threatened to report him to US immigration authorities if he refused to comply.
According to the lawsuit filed by Banias Law, Meesala was hired under the H-1B visa program with the promise that the job would help him obtain permanent residency and eventually US citizenship.
The complaint alleges that the company withheld pay stubs and other payroll records unless Meesala made additional payments. These documents are essential for H-1B workers who need to renew their visas, transfer to another employer, or prove compliance with immigration rules.
The lawsuit claims the company used Meesala's immigration status as leverage, knowing that a lack of payroll records could jeopardize his ability to remain and work legally in the US. Facing alleged threats that he could lose his immigration status, Meesala reportedly paid about $8,800 in cash.
The complaint accuses the company of labor trafficking, forced labor, and document servitude. It further alleges that Meesala is owed at least $97,248.94 in unpaid wages and money he was allegedly coerced into paying. The case is currently before a Texas court, and the allegations have not yet been proven in court.