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Comment by jiggliemon | Hacker News Reader

I feel that I can provide a small yet worthy piece of context. We have a difficult time interviewing ANYBODY for our open reqs. And like every other technology company I've ever worked at; a majority of resume's I've reviewed had Indian names. This seems especially weighted given how the Oracle brand and database are still desirable properties and tech in India.

Your average white dude in Silicon Valley may have a fair to negative view of Oracle. While (from my experience) your average Indian dude's opinion of Oracle is more favorable.

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In the full complaint [1] the DoL mentions this.

"Moreover, comparisons between available applicants from national labor data and Oracle's hires show gross and statistically significant disparities in the hiring of Asians versus non-Asians into PT1 and Product Development positions at Oracle Redwood Shores. These comparisons are particularly relevant because Oracle's applicant pool was heavily over-represented by Asian applicants as the result of Oracle's recruiting and hiring practices (including its over-selection of Asian applicants, particularly Asian Indians, from its actual applicant pool, its hiring strategies such as targeted recruitment, and referral bonuses that encouraged its heavily Asian workforce to recruit other Asians, and its reputation for favoring Asians).

[1] https://www.dol.gov/sites/default/files/newsroom/newsrelease...

"referral bonuses that encouraged its heavily Asian workforce to recruit other Asians"

Every technology company I have worked at used referral bonuses to find qualified applicants. This common recruiting practice is now considered discriminatory by the DoL if a company's workforce is "heavily Asian?" Unbelievable.

Many companies (FB for example) actually give higher referral bonuses for black/hispanic and females.

This is actually an interesting and relevant point. I can attest to seeing a similar cultural acceptance / rejection of the brand.

Interestingly, it might be more favorable because of hiring practices. More interesting, this might be what has undermined the brand in the US.

The brand has been undermined due to Oracle having three salesmen to every developer. And two lawyers to every one developer.

Oracle is a software sales, and software holdings company.

Their litigious behavior doesn't help.

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