iGate legal head Mukund Srinath is facing sexual harassment lawsuit from a former employee, said a Times of India report today.
Nearly, two years ago Phaneesh Murthy, ex-CEO of the IT services company, left the company due to the alleged sexually harassment complaints from the company’s investor relations head Araceli Roiz.
The complaint is from Karetha Dodd, a former senior executive in iGate’s legal department. Mukund Srinath is her supervisor.
According to the law suit, he has sexually harassed her. She also alleges that when she rebuffed his advances, she was penalized at work — including withholding a promotion and stripping her of responsibilities — and eventually was forced to leave the company.
iGate, who has reportedly terminated Phaneesh Murthy earlier, is supporting Mukund Srinath in the latest sexual harassment case.
“We have completed a thorough investigation into this claim, and have found that it is unequivocally without merit. We intend to vigorously defend this action. Igate has a zero tolerance policy on harassment of any kind, and is committed to maintaining a caring and nurturing workplace,” said iGate.
The suit filed in a California court details at length various episodes of harassment both in California, where Dodd was based, and in India (Bengaluru), where Srinath was based and where Dodd had to travel to for official reasons.
The suit alleges that iGate did not reasonably investigate her complaint. It also charges iGate of not providing any method of ensuring that its executives, including Srinath, were aware of or complied with its sexual harassment policies or with the law.
Legal firm Aiman-Smith & Marcy is assisting Dodd in the sexual harassment case. The same law firm had defended Roiz in the case against Murthy. The report said the US-based lawyers are demanding compensation for lost wages, other damages and attorney fees. The suit says that Dodd’s annual compensation package was about $300,000.
