DOJ Settles Immigration-Related Discrimination Claim Against Powerstaffing; $153K Penalty

DOJ, June 23, 2016- "The Justice Department reached an agreement today with Powerstaffing Inc., a temporary staffing agency based in Edison, New Jersey. The agreement resolves allegations that Powerstaffing’s North Bergen, New Jersey, office discriminated against work-authorized non-U.S. citizens in violation of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). The department’s investigation found that from June 20, 2014, until at least Dec. 15, 2015, Powerstaffing had a pattern or practice of requesting specific immigration documents from non-U.S. citizens for the Form I-9 and E-Verify processes. In contrast, Powerstaffing allowed U.S. citizens to present whichever valid documents they wanted to present to prove their work authorization. ... Upon learning of the department’s investigation, Powerstaffing promptly re-trained its staff on proper Form I-9 and E-Verify practices. Among other things, the settlement agreement requires Powerstaffing to pay $153,000 in civil penalties, be subject to department monitoring and review its hiring policies."