Apple will make payment of $25 million in back pay and civil penalties in order to resolve an issue related to its hiring approaches, as stated by the Department of Justice. It was alleged that the company had not publicized job openings on its external website and had also established certain dilemmas like demanding paper applications by mail.The settlement agreement confirms that Apple disputes the allegation, maintaining that it was in compliance with the Department of Labor regulations.
The US Department of Justice announced Thursday that Apple will be paying $25 million in back pay and civil penalties as part of a settlement concerning the company's hiring practices under the Immigration and Nationality Act. This figure comprises of an $18.25 million back pay fund for applicants affected by the alleged discrimination, and $6.75 million in civil fines. Apple was accused of not publicizing positions it wished to fill through the federal 'Permanent Labor Certification Program' (PERM), and creating obstacles to applications, such as requiring only paper applications via mail. The Department of Justice believes this was done to preferentially hire employees with temporary work visas who wanted to become permanent US residents. Apple contests these allegations, claiming any mistakes were misunderstood errors, not deliberate discrimination.
In response to the settlement, Apple has agreed to draft a new recruitment policy and provide the DOJ with bi-annual reports on PERM hiring and applicants. “We have implemented a robust remediation plan to comply with the requirements of various government agencies as we continue to hire American workers and grow in the U.S.,” said an Apple spokesperson. The tech giant states that they have over 90,000 employees in the United States, and have been responsible for creating millions of jobs.
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