DOJ resolves cases over citizenship bias in hiring and PERM recruitment

The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division has resolved a series of immigration-employment cases this year, including one settlement announced April 7 and a separate July 6 letter of resolution. Together, the matters show the department still policing hiring practices that can unlawfully shut out U.S. workers. justice.gov In the April case, DOJ said Compunnel Software Group, Inc. agreed to pay $313,420 to resolve allegations that recruiters posted job ads with citizenship-status restrictions that were not legally authorized. The department said the ads favored applicants with H-1B or other temporary visas and excluded U.S. citizens and permanent residents from some jobs. Compunnel also agreed to pay $58,000 in back pay to a U.S. citizen who was not considered for a Python developer role, along with civil penalties and compliance steps. justice.gov On July 6, the department said it issued a letter of resolution to an online design company after a U.S. citizen alleged he was not considered for a position tied to permanent labor certification, or PERM, recruitment. DOJ said the company voluntarily committed to updating its PERM practices, including posting PERM-related jobs on its external career site, accepting electronic applications, and tracking and reviewing applications. justice.gov The two matters are not the same case and do not describe the same company. They do, however, fall under the same federal rule: employers cannot impose citizenship-status limits without a lawful basis, and they cannot use recruitment rules that block U.S. workers from a fair shot at the job. justice.gov