Hoover Settles Immigration-Related Employment Discrimination Charge

Hoover Inc., a manufacturer of vacuum and carpet cleaners, will pay $10,200 in civil penalties as part of a settlement resolving allegations that the company engaged in the practice of employment discrimination by imposing unnecessary and discriminatory hurdles in the I-9 process on lawful permanent residents, the U.S. Justice Department announced. The I-9 process refers to employment eligibility verification.

The Justice Departments findings showed that Hoover required permanent residents who presented a permanent resident card (also known as a green card) for I-9 purposes to present a new green card when theirs expired this despite the fact that, like U.S. citizens, permanent residents are always work authorized. U.S. citizens were not required to present new documents.

The Immigration and Nationality Act prohibits employers from treating permanent residents differently than U.S. citizens with regard to the I-9 process.

In addition to the civil penalties, Hoover will train its human resources personnel about their non-discrimination responsibilities in the I-9 process and report periodically to the Justice Dept. for one year.