Apple Inc., one of the giants in the technology industry, recently reached a settlement of $25 million USD with the Department Of Justice (DOJ) over allegations of biased recruitment processes. Lawyers argue that these allegations expose clashes between federal agencies regarding the compliance with immigration law.
The DOJ claimed that Apple had exhibited bias in their hiring processes, specifically in sponsoring foreign workers – highlighting a burden imposed on many employers caught between conflicting agency standards. This settlement marks the second instance of a significant American employer facing enforcement action over alleged biased behaviour when endorsing foreign employees for lawful permanent residency.
For firms assisting employees to secure green cards, there are specific recruiting requisites levied by the US Labor Department for the positions in question – requirements that go above and beyond standard hiring practices. Under these mandates, companies are obligated to do things such as advertise available posts in Sunday print newspapers.
Such requirements are becoming increasingly archaic in a world replete with modern hiring techniques, says a collection of immigration lawyers providing consultation to employers on permanent residency matters.
This recent million-dollar settlement coupled with ongoing tensions between requisite hiring processes have ignited conversations on the tacit contemporary dilemma faced by large tech companies with regards to foreign worker hires.
For further reading, the detailed coverage of the issue is available on Bloomberg Law.