Non-immigrant worker here in USA on a full time role. Permit expires 2024.
I'll try to keep this brief –
My employer [HR specifically ] promised over messages that the HR will take care of my working status in the US and therefore file employer based sponsorship green card. They confirmed that if I have continued good performance evaluations, the process would start by Jan 2023. I decided to put in extra effort to do well since this is the line of work I enjoy thoroughly.
Jan 2023, I got my performance evaluations and as expected I did well, got a better score than their requirement.
Till date, they have been deliberately stalling, waiting for my permit to expire. They don't say they won't do it, they indicate filing it is their highest priority but at the same time they won't do anything about it either.
The time by which they should have filed it has run out and I am running out of time on my non-immgrant working status without being able to secure my employment and career beyond next year.
My repeated request is treated as insubordination and is always misunderstood, and I end up getting retaliatory responses, probably because of my gender. Employees of other genders have not had this issue.
The HR is very aware that a person in my situation will not get hired elsewhere due to the work permit expiring. They even said it to me saying no one will hire me now and I have to bow down and agree to what they do to me.
Now, they are trying to get me to sign documents which suggest I have read their policies and that the company can reject my work authorization request for any reason, when they have never provided their policy book to any employee. I am not willing to sign any document without actually reading their policies.
Their agenda is to send employees from my national origin out of the country and work elsewhere for a lesser pay [10% to 70% of current pay, based on where they decide to throw me], instead of actually helping the employee secure their continued work authorization in US [ on basis of which they hired the employee ].
I believe the motivation is based out of discrimination, since the process has been filed for other employees of a different national origin.
I am really badly stuck here and torn between being with my family in the US [ the country where i've gone to school and lived for 10 years ] and getting thrown away to a country I have no connections with to stay and work for this employer.
Dealing with mental health issues due to them as well and therapy doesn't help. I have subtly disclosed that due to mental and physical health conditions I cannot live away from family, but they won't budge.
I have no way out. I believe I have ruined my career by trusting the words of the HR. My passion for my field of work and trust in my employer has led to my doom.
Is this even ethical / legal ?