Immigrant Bias Claims Lead Macy’s to Pay Fine

(CN) - Macy's will pay a nominal penalty and award back pay to resolve allegations that it discriminated against workers based on their immigration status or national origin, the Justice Department said Thursday.

Several people had apparently reported potential immigration-related unfair employment practices at Macy's Retail Holdings by calling a worker hotline operated by the Justice Department's Office of Special Counsel for Immigration-Related Unfair Employment Practices (OSC).

"Based on the investigation, the department determined that Macy's engaged in unfair documentary practices against work-authorized immigrant employees during the employment eligibility reverification process and that some employees suffered economic harm through lost work or seniority as a result," the Justice Department said in a statement.

The anti-discrimination provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act prohibits employers from treating workers differently in the employment eligibility verification or reverification process by demanding more or different documents, or by limiting the worker's choice of documents, based on an individual's immigration status or national origin.

Macy's, which employs approximately 180,000 employees in the United States, settled the allegations by agreeing to revise its employment eligibility reverification policies and procedures and to provide its human resources personnel across the country with anti-discrimination training.

The retailer will also pay the United States $175,000 in civil penalties and create a $100,000 back-pay fund to compensate any individuals who suffered lost wages or loss of seniority as a result of its practices.

The Justice Department will additionally monitor Macy's employment eligibility verification practices and reporting requirements for two years.

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