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Senator Prods Microsoft On H-1B Visas After Layoff Plans

Posted by Soulskill on from the checking-their-priorities dept.

CWmike writes "US Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) told Microsoft this week that US citizens should get priority over H-1B visa holders as the software vendor moves forward on its plan to cut 5,000 jobs. 'These work visa programs were never intended to allow a company to retain foreign guest workers rather than similarly qualified American workers, when that company cuts jobs during an economic downturn,' Grassley wrote in a letter sent Thursday to Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer. The letter asked Microsoft to detail the types of jobs that will be eliminated and how those cuts will affect the company's H-1B workers." Reader theodp adds, "On Friday, Microsoft coincidentally announced it would postpone construction of a planned $500 million data center in Grassley's home state of Iowa, although work on data centers in Chicago and Dublin will continue."

2 of 574 comments (clear)

  1. Hey! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Dey tuk our jerbs!

  2. Re:H1Bs are wrong by mbone · · Score: 3, Funny

    Seriously, what employer wouldn't want to be in the position to employ reasonably killed labor that *HAS* to work...

    In my experience the dead do not work whether they need to or not.