Federal workplace civil rights agencies remain silent on the issue of caste discrimination as a former Cisco engineer’s lawsuit will proceed in open court rather than arbitration.
A California state court will weigh in on a case from a former Cisco Systems Inc. worker who’s made a claim of caste discrimination—one of the first of its kind. Meanwhile, federal agencies like the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission have remained silent on the issue, even as caste equity groups have pushed for support.
The ex-worker claims he was a victim of discrimination because of his low caste standing. The unnamed plaintiff, who is represented by the California Civil Rights Department—the agency formerly known as the Department of Fair Employment and Housing—won an appeal on Aug. 5 allowing him to proceed with the lawsuit under a pseudonym in open court rather than arbitration, an alternative adjudication forum favored by and often more favorable to employers.
The man claimed supervisors at Cisco’s San Jose, Calif., headquarters excluded him from meetings and passed him up for promotions due to his status as part of the Dalit caste, considered the lowest rung of the hierarchical South Asian system. He also accused Cisco of retaliating against him after he complained about his treatment.
His attorneys are relying on a California antidiscrimination statute that includes protection...
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