Apple has reached a settlement with the Department of Justice, agreeing to pay $25 million to resolve allegations that the company unlawfully favored immigrant workers over American citizens and green card holders for certain jobs.
The settlement, which is the largest ever for the DOJ involving claims of discrimination based on citizenship, requires Apple to pay $6.75 million in civil penalties and $18.25 million to an unspecified number of affected workers.
According to the Department of Justice, Apple violated federal law by not recruiting US citizens or permanent residents for jobs that were eligible for the permanent labor certification program. This program allowed employers to sponsor immigrant workers for green cards. The tech giant also failed to advertise these job openings on its website, as it does for other positions, and required applicants to submit paper applications instead of electronic ones.
In response to the allegations, Apple claimed that the practice was unintentional. The company has since implemented a remediation plan to comply with the requirements of various government agencies and has expressed its commitment to hiring American workers and expanding its presence in the US.
As part of the settlement, Apple has agreed to align its recruiting for positions eligible for the permanent labor certification program with its normal hiring procedures. The company will also be required to conduct broader recruitment efforts and provide training to its employees on anti-discrimination laws.
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