DOJ, Microsoft Reach Immigration-Related Discrimination Claims Settlement
December 07 2021 - 6:21PM
Dow Jones News
By Adriano Marchese
Microsoft Corp. will be required to overhaul parts of its hiring
process and pay civil penalties as part of a settlement with the
U.S. Department of Justice regarding claims of immigration-related
discrimination.
The DOJ said Tuesday it has reached a settlement with the tech
giant that resolves allegations the company discriminated against
non-U.S. citizens based on their citizenship status during early
stages of the hiring process.
Microsoft will have to adjust its hiring process to ensure it
isn't unlawfully requiring non-U.S. citizen applicants to provide
specific immigration documents to prove they don't require
sponsorship for a work visa.
Employers are required to verify if a worker has permission to
work in the U.S. but prohibits them from asking for documents when
not required or from specifying the types of valid
documentation.
The company will have to train its employees who are responsible
for verifying and reverifying workers' permission to work in the
country, and the company will be subject to monitoring and
reporting requirements.
A spokesperson for Microsoft didn't immediately respond to a
request for comment.
The DOJ first received a report that the company asked a job
applicant for a permanent resident card while applying for a job at
Microsoft's Redmond, Washington facility.
"The investigation found evidence that the company repeatedly
asked lawful permanent residents, refugees and asylees to undergo
an evaluation of their need for Microsoft to sponsor them for an
employment-based visa even though they do not require sponsorship
to work in the United States," the company said.
As well as the changes to its hiring practices and process, the
settlement requires Microsoft to pay a civil penalty of $17,352 to
the U.S. Treasury.
"The department also hopes that this settlement will inspire
other employers to ensure that their own policies and practices are
not discriminatory," Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of
the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division said.
Write to Adriano Marchese at adriano.marchese@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
December 07, 2021 18:06 ET (23:06 GMT)
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