In a news release by the Department of Justice on June 25, 2018, the DOJ announced reaching a settlement agreement with J.C. Penney after the corporation allegedly imposed discriminatory and unlawful hiring practices on employees.
According to the release, the agreement settles two investigations:
Whether J.C. Penney refused to accept “green cards” from lawful permanent residents
Whether J.C. Penney unlawfully reverified work authorization documents from some non-U.S. citizens because of their citizenship status.
This is one of many discrimination cases that we have seen arise from the DOJ’s new Immigration Employee Rights Section that investigates employers for unlawful hiring practices. And another clear example of penalties and business liability that can be easily prevented by training those involved in the hiring chain. It is crucial that U.S. business owners understand the difference between compliance with federal immigration regulations and over-verifying employees’ work authorization documentation.
All U.S. employers are required to comply with federal immigration laws. All companies should maintain corporate immigration compliance plans, policies, and procedures developed in accordance with ICE best practices. If your company has not yet established immigration plans, policies, and procedures, the first step towards compliance is always training to ensure those handling your hiring are trained on these legal issues.
Our compliance training and webinars can be found HERE.
Mason Ellis Business Immigration Attorney MDIVANI CORPORATE IMMIGRATION LAW FIRM
Phone :: 913.317.6200 Email :: MEllis@uslegalimmigration.com
The information provided here does not constitute legal advice. It is general information regarding law and policy that may be applicable to your particular HR issue or legal problem. Information provided in this blog, or any of our other public posts does not create an attorney-client relationship. For specific advice you can rely upon, please contact your attorney.