Good lesson for other would be abusers
US court recommends $1.5 mn for Indian diplomat's maid
New York: A magistrate in New York has recommended that India born Shanti Gurung, who worked as a domestic help for Neena Malhotra, a former Consul at the Indian Consulate in New York, be awarded $1.5 million for what the court records call "barbaric treatment" at the hands of her employer.
The proposed award includes USD 500,000 for the "emotional distress" inflicted on Shanti Gurung by Neena Malhotra and her husband Jogesh, The New York Post said.
The Malhotras clearly induced their ex-maid to "work without pay by seizing her passport and visa, restricting her ability to leave their apartment, and constantly warning her that if she travelled on her own without their permission, she would be arrested, beaten, raped and sent back to India as 'cargo'," Manhattan federal Magistrate Judge Frank Maas was quoted as having written in his recommendation.
"We plan to go after the assets of both Mr and Mrs Malhotra. We intend to begin the process of tracking down the Malhotras' assets immediately. We hope Indian government will finally do the right thing. So far they have not. We hope they will put pressure on the Malhotras to make the appropriate compensation to Shanti Gurung It is very disturbing that they will not take the matter more seriously," Mr. Mitchell Alan Karlan said.
In all likelihood, the ruling is expected to be upheld by the overseeing judge in the next hearing scheduled for two weeks from now, especially since neither of the Malhotras have attended any court hearings so far, say sources. Once the recommendation is upheld by the supervising judge, it will become a judgment. (With PTI Inputs)
Read more at: http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/us-court-recommends-1-5-mn-for-indian-...
ok, here is what I don't get...how can people employ someone and not pay them? What kind of concept is this? Everybody knows that slavery is illegal...so how can these people even assume that what they are doing is ok?
Seriously, I don't get it!
Truly among the worst of oppressors and indeed thieves are those who don't pay their employees' wages. wish they could slap each and everyone of these scumbags the world over with such law suits.
power corrupts.
Hope she gets to stay back in the U.S. and gets the money. (not sure abt the amount, does seem a lot). But the Malhotras should be jailed. Fines just wont do.
Unpaid wages - if people think the only consequnce of such actions is that they have to pay exactly what they owed, what's to stop them from doing it again. They would only have to pay up if they got caught and that too only the amount they owed.
Whilst I detest the "sue them" culture, in this case she deserves the money and hope she gets to stay in the USA.
It is not just a matter of unpaid wages, They stole her life and threatened her and deserve all they get.
ahhh, just waiting for someone to disagree with this, and 2020 just knew it would be you
Ridiculous. The maid should receive unpaid wages and offender should be fined only. No way she earned $1.5 million lol. Ridiculous US.
"We plan to go after the assets of both Mr and Mrs Malhotra. We intend to begin the process of tracking down the Malhotras' assets immediately.
..hopefully they and the others in this parts too will learn a lesson from this and learn to treat their employees well.