Macy's settles case alleging unfair practices for immigrant workers
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Units of Macy's Inc. will pay $175,000 in penalties and establish a $100,000 back pay fund to resolve charges that it violated the antidiscrimination provision of the Immigration and National Act, the Department of Justice said Thursday.
Macy's Retail Holdings and other entities of the Cincinnati-based retailer were accused of engaging in unfair practices against work-authorized immigrants during the process to reverify their eligibility for employment and, as a result, that some employees suffered economic harm through lost work or seniority.
The Immigration and Nationality Act's antidiscrimination provision prohibits employers from treating workers differently in the employment eligibility verification or reverification process by demanding more or different documents, or by limiting the worker's choice of documents, based on an individual's status or national origin.
The Justice Department said it began its investigation based on several calls to its worker hot line.
In addition to the $175,000 in civil penalties and $100,000 back pay fund, Macy's agreed in the settlement to revise its policies and procedures and to train its human resources personnel nationwide on the federal law's antidiscrimination provision.
“Employers must ensure that they follow correct procedures during the reverification of employment authorization of non-U.S. citizens,” Gregory Friel, deputy assistant attorney general for the civil rights division, said in a statement. “Given the size of their workforce, national employers are particularly encouraged to evaluate their policies and practices and make use of the division's no-cost technical assistance to ensure compliance with the INA's anti-discrimination provision.”
A company spokesman could not immediately be reached for comment.
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