The Blubber

Apple, $AAPL, has agreed to pay up to $25 million to the DOJ to settle claims that it engaged in hiring discrimination against US candidates for jobs that were awarded to some immigrant workers seeking to be granted permanent resident status in the country.

The tech giant is accused of participating in a “pattern or practice of citizenship status discrimination” during the recruitment of positions through the permanent labor certification (PERM) program, which enables employers to sponsor workers for permanent resident status.

As per the Justice Department, Apple failed to advertise positions intended for recruitment through the PERM program on its external job platform, opting for candidates to submit paper applications by mail. This approach often resulted in fewer or no submissions from individuals ineligible for the program.

Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke stated, “Creating unlawful barriers that make it harder for someone to seek a job because of their citizenship status will not be tolerated.” She added, “This resolution reflects the Civil Rights Division’s commitment to ending illegal discriminatory employment practices.”

As part of the settlement, Apple will pay $6.75 million in penalties and $18.25 million in backpay. Moreover, the company will be obliged to display program-eligible positions on its external job website, accept electronic applications, and make these positions searchable in its applicant tracking system, according to the Justice Department.

However, the settlement agreement acknowledges Apple's assertion that it “adhered to the recruitment steps” mandated by the program and that any alleged failures were unintentional errors rather than intentional discrimination.