Virginia technology company to pay civil penalty over discriminatory ‘Whites only’ job posting, according to DOJ
"Whites Only" Job Ad: $7.5K Fine Justified?
Arthur Grand Technologies Inc., a Virginia-based IT firm, will pay a $7,500 civil penalty for a discriminatory job posting that specified "Only US Born Citizens [white]." The DOJ and Labor Department investigated the March 2023 incident, leading to settlements that include company training on the INA's requirements and departmental monitoring. The company denies wrongdoing, attributing the post to a disgruntled employee.
What specific discriminatory language was used in Arthur Grand Technologies Inc.'s job posting that led to the DOJ's fine?
The specific discriminatory language used in Arthur Grand Technologies Inc.'s job posting was "Only US Born Citizens [white] who are local within 60 miles from Dallas, TX [Don't share with candidates]." This language restricted eligible candidates to only white US-born citizens within a specific geographical area, which violated the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) and prompted the Department of Justice (DOJ) to fine the company4.
What compensation measures has Arthur Grand Technologies agreed to provide as part of the Labor Department’s conciliation agreement?
Arthur Grand Technologies has agreed to several compensation measures as part of the Labor Department's conciliation agreement. Firstly, the company will pay compensation to individuals who filed complaints with the Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP). Additionally, the agreement mandates that Arthur Grand Technologies train all company employees involved in recruiting, selecting candidates, or tracking expressions of interest for open positions26. These measures are part of a broader effort by Arthur Grand to address and rectify the discriminatory practices highlighted by the job advertisement incident.