Office takeover? If you've noticed more than 25% of your workforce from one country, stats say it's impossible - and it's time to step forward. Cognizant already lost in court: non-Indian workers 8.4x more likely to be benched and fired. Workforce 70-88% from one country. Jury ruled intentional discrimination - Americans replaced while visa holders stayed. If you see the same pattern - fake training, cash deals, or one-country dominance - report it to USCIS. USCIS fraud reporting: uscis.gov/report-fraud (Anonymous option available - just give facts: company, location, numbers observed.) The fact is ... It's math. With Cognizant the statisticians said ..not possible and that means- illegal. Whether its civil or criminal there are consequences. Enforcement starts with people who see it. The Cognizant case has taught us- When more than 25% of the staff come from one foreign country chances are a civil rights violation is taking place and it should be reported. I know folks who are not anon on X cant comment but feel free to DM, but do not be afraid to report, especially if you know its coming. There is no guarantee of what meets the threshold - but retaliation is less likely if you report it anonymously. Follow for more Illegal Monday.

How to avoid being the person laid off (When it’s actually possible) First, a reality check. Sometimes there is no way to hang on. Mergers. Extreme downsizing. Departments taken over by H-1B pipelines. Crony cultures where everyone golfs together except you. If you’re in one of those situations, this isn’t about effort or competence. The decision was made without you in the room. But outside of those cases, if you’re in a competency-centric organization, there are things that materially reduce your odds of being selected. I’ve lived through nearly two dozen layoffs and was not the one chosen. Not luck. Pattern. Here’s what actually mattered. 1. Become the person your boss doesn’t want to replace with themselves This is uncomfortable, but it’s real. In many layoffs, the manager still has to sell, execute, educate, and keep things running after the cuts. If your role is something they can’t easily absorb, you’re harder to cut. Understand your boss' targets and let him know they are yours, as well. He needs a partner and that's that last person he is parting ways with. Ask yourself honestly: If I disappear tomorrow, does my boss inherit pain they don’t want? If the answer is no, that’s a warning sign. 2. Do the work nobody else wants Early in my career, I made it clear I was willing to work nights. That decision kept me employed on my first assignment out of college while others were let go. It genuinely shocked me how many people chose nothing over working nights. I also volunteered to cover for others when they took time off and would use that as an excuse to train on their roles then made sure the boss knew. You don’t have to martyr yourself, but flexibility matters. Especially when the alternative is unemployment. 3. Cross-train aggressively Know adjacent systems. Understand upstream and downstream dependencies. Be able to cover for more than one role. In layoffs I survived, I was often kept because I could do the work of two or more people when the headcount shrank. That matters more than job titles. 4. Be visible when layoffs are rumored, not invisible Do not hide under your desk. This is the wrong time to go quiet. Schedule meetings. Start a workgroup. Coordinate vendors. Pull together people across teams. When your job is discussed, you want it associated with active motion, not silence. 5. Be a connector, not just a contributor Stay tied to: • certification bodies • external partners • sister departments • other divisions Be known as someone people rely on, not just someone who clocks in and out. Fair or not, the pure 9-to-5, head-down worker is often seen as the most replaceable. 6. Understand how age and experience actually play out Outside of private equity slash-and-burn scenarios, I’ve seen older employees retained more often than younger ones. Why? Because they know things. Because the boss can’t do what they do. Because institutional memory reduces risk. Make sure you’re building that kind of value, regardless of age. 7. Show composure and compassion Managers don’t enjoy layoffs. Seeing the team they built being dismantled is annoying. Let them know you understand the position they’re in. Calm professionalism matters. It gets remembered. And yes, sometimes it results in a call later when they get stuck and need help. None of this is a guarantee. But it dramatically improves your odds when odds still exist. If you’ve survived a layoff, or didn’t, what do you think actually mattered?