TSMC hit with lawsuit over alleged discrimination against American workers
Deborah Howington, a talent acquisition director, filed the class-action suit in August. She claims that the HR department created a workplace at TSMC where non-Asian employees
Semiconductor giant TSMC is being sued by over a dozen current and former employees over allegations that the company discriminates against American workers while favoring those from Taiwan. The world's largest chipmaker is accused of bullying US workers, restricting their advancement, forcing them out of the company, and being biased toward hiring Taiwanese and Chinese nationals.
Deborah Howington, a talent acquisition director, filed the class-action suit in August. She claims that the HR department created a workplace at TSMC where non-Asian employees and non-Taiwanese citizens are subjected to a stricter level of scrutiny than similarly situated Asian employees, including Taiwanese citizens.
In April, it was reported that TSMC will receive a $6.6 billion grant and a $5 billion loan to build a series of fabs at its plant in Arizona, money that will come from the US CHIPS and Science Act.
"Having accepted $6 billion in US federal funding and elected to compete within the US, it's imperative that TSMC comply with federal discrimination laws and treat all races, national origins, and citizens equally," the plaintiff's attorney, Daniel Kotchen of Kotchen & Low, told Forbes. "We're confident in our case and look forward to presenting the case to a jury."
The lawsuit claims TSMC willfully disregarded diversity commitments made in the CHIPS Act. It notes that as of last year, approximately half of TSMC Arizona's 2,200-strong workforce is made up of visa holders from Taiwan.
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