A Virginia-based company that posted a discriminatory “whites only” job posting has reached a settlement with the US government.
Arthur Grand Technologies will pay a $7,500 civil penalty and a total of $31,000 to 31 individuals who filed complaints about the posting.
The minority-owned firm, which is also a federal contractor designated as a disadvantaged business, will be monitored to ensure compliance with anti-discrimination laws.
The Department of Labor’s agreement states Arthur Grand “neither admits nor denies any violation.”
CEO Sheik Rahmathullah told NPR that the company “vehemently denies any guilt or wrongdoing,” claiming a rogue employee made the discriminatory job posting.
The controversial job posting, which circulated online last year, read, “Only Born US Citizens [White] who are local within 60 miles from Dallas, TX [Don’t share with candidates].”
It sought a “Salesforce Business Analyst and Insurance Claims position” to serve clients HTC Global and Berkshire Hathaway in Dallas.
The Department of Justice found that the posting violated the Immigration and Nationality Act.
“We took immediate and decisive action to ensure that this type of incident will never happen again, including the immediate termination of the responsible employee”
The Department of Labor determined it breached an executive order prohibiting federal contractors from discrimination based on race, national origin, and other protected characteristics.
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Additional violations included the company’s failure to track demographic data of job applicants and to post notices of workers’ equal employment opportunity rights.
Arthur Grand has agreed to send a form letter to complainants, who must sign a document affirming their understanding that the company denies treating them unlawfully to receive compensation and avoid filing lawsuits.
Rahmathullah said: “We took immediate and decisive action to ensure that this type of incident will never happen again, including the immediate termination of the responsible employee.”
Kristen Clarke, Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division said: “It is shameful that in the 21st century, we continue to see employers using ‘whites only’ and ‘only US born’ job postings to lock out otherwise eligible job candidates of color.”
