Arthur Grand Technologies, an IT services firm, has settled with the U.S. Justice Department over a discriminatory job advert specifying only US citizens and ‘local within 60 miles from Dallas, TX’. The settlement includes a civil penalty, compensation for complainants, and workplace training.
Arthur Grand Technologies, an information technology services firm based in Ashburn, Virginia, has settled with the U.S. Justice Department over a discriminatory job advertisement it posted in March 2023. The job listing, posted on Indeed, specified that applicants should be “Only Born US Citizens [White] who are local within 60 miles from Dallas, TX [Don’t share with candidates].”
An investigation initiated in May by the Civil Rights Division’s Immigrant and Employee Rights Section found that Arthur Grand discriminated based on citizenship status and national origin. The company attributed the advertisement to an upset recruiter in India who acted without authorization. This claim was included in the settlement agreement wherein Arthur Grand vehemently denied any wrongdoing.
As part of the settlement, Arthur Grand Technologies will pay a $7,500 civil penalty to the U.S. Treasury and $31,000 in compensation to individuals who filed complaints. Additionally, the company committed to conducting workplace-specific training for all employees involved in recruiting and hiring.
The job posting sought a business analyst for positions serving clients HTC Global, based in Troy, Michigan, and Berkshire Hathaway, based in Omaha, Nebraska. It prompted widespread outrage on social media and prompted immediate corrective actions from the company, which included the termination of the responsible employee.
Arthur Grand also reached a separate agreement with the U.S. Labor Department, further expanding their obligations to address wrongful practices and ensure compliance with federal discrimination laws.
