Cleaning Co. Settles I-9 Dispute with DOJ for $195K

DOJ, Oct. 17, 2016- "The Justice Department reached a settlement today with American Cleaning Company (ACC) resolving claims that the company discriminated against work-authorized non-U.S. citizens in violation of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).  ACC is a maintenance and janitorial company based in Brighton, Massachusetts.

The department’s investigation found that from at least Jan. 15, 2009, until at least Sept. 30, 2015, ACC routinely required workers who are not U.S. citizens to produce specific documents for the Form I-9 and E-Verify processes, whereas U.S. citizens were permitted to choose whatever valid documentation they wished to prove their work authorization.  Under the INA, all workers, including non-U.S. citizens, must be allowed to choose whichever valid documentation they would like to present to prove their work authorization.  It is unlawful for an employer to limit employees’ choice of documentation because of their citizenship or immigration status. 

Under the terms of the settlement agreement, ACC will pay $195,000 in civil penalties, train its human resources staff on the anti-discrimination provision of the INA and review and revise its policies and procedures to conform to the requirements of the INA’s anti-discrimination provision.

American Cleaning Company Settlement Agreement"