Facebook To Pay $14 Mln To Settle DoJ Claims Of Discrimination Against US Workers

(RTTNews) - Facebook Inc. (FB) Tuesday agreed to pay over $14 million to resolve the Justice Department's allegations that the social media giant discriminated against U.S. workers in favor of foreigners for high-paying jobs.

According to the Justice Department, the settlement resolves its claims that Facebook routinely refused to recruit, consider or hire U.S. workers, a group that includes U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, asylees, refugees and lawful permanent residents, for positions it had reserved for temporary visa holders in connection with the permanent labor certification program (PERM) process.

Further, the Labor Department's settlement resolves issues it separately identified through audit examinations of Facebook's recruitment activities related to its PERM applications filed with the Employment and Training Administration's Office of Foreign Labor Certification.

Under the DOJ settlement, Facebook will pay a civil penalty of $4.75 million to the United States, pay up to $9.5 million to eligible victims of Facebook's alleged discrimination, and train its employees on the anti-discrimination requirements of the INA.

Further, Facebook will be required to conduct more expansive advertising and recruitment for its job opportunities for all PERM positions, accept electronic resumes or applications from all U.S. workers who apply, and take other steps to ensure that its recruitment for PERM positions closely matches its standard recruitment practices.

"Facebook is not above the law, and must comply with our nation's federal civil rights laws, which prohibit discriminatory recruitment and hiring practices," said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division. "Companies cannot set aside certain positions for temporary visa holders because of their citizenship or immigration status. This settlement reflects the Civil Rights Division's commitment to holding employers accountable and eradicating discriminatory employment practices."