>"We unintentionally overlooked laws that require even foreign employees to be paid based on local US standards."
I hope that readers keep incidents like this is mind. There's a tendency to pile on in populist fashion against the "bankers", the "lobbyists" and the "politicians". In reality, the "tech" world is just as dirty. Peoples is peoples.
I wonder about the ethics of a related scenario ... get a remote person to login to machines to do installs and manage. In this case, the remote person gets paid in Rs but I guess that is okay since their cost of living is in Rs (not in the case of the story, obviously)?
Please try not to ask such difficult questions. It takes some serious mental gymnastics to justify and endorse all the various restrictions of free contract and conduct legislated under the name of social justice - it's really not kind to point out these uncomfortable contradictions.
They had to apply for working visas. The salary is mentioned in the visa application papers. I can't believe the guys in charge of the reviewing process let this go so I guess they are just lying.
In general in the US when it comes to wage and hour employment issues there is not a lot of punitive punishment handed out. The general relief is to be paid what you were supposed to be paid (the $40k in this case).
I hope that readers keep incidents like this is mind. There's a tendency to pile on in populist fashion against the "bankers", the "lobbyists" and the "politicians". In reality, the "tech" world is just as dirty. Peoples is peoples.