The Department of Justice has reached a settlement agreement with Catholic Healthcare West to resolve allegations regarding CHW's involvement in a pattern or practice of citizenship discrimination by imposing discriminatory barriers to employment, according to a DOJ news release.
Under the terms of the settlement, CHW has agreed to pay $257,000 in civil penalties — the largest amount of civil penalties ever paid to resolve such allegations — and $1,000 in back pay to the charging party.
According to the Justice Department's findings, CHW required non-U.S. citizen and naturalized citizen new hires to present more work authorization documents than required by federal law, but permitted native born U.S. citizens to provide documents based on their own choosing.
CHW has also agreed to review its past I-9 practices at all of its 41 facilities in order to identify and compensate any additional victims of over-documentation who have lost wages as a result, and to devise and implement policies and procedures for ensuring best practices with regard to hiring and employment eligibility verification. Further, CHW has agreed to train its recruitment personnel on their responsibilities not to discriminate and provide periodic reports to the department for three years.
Read the DOJ news release on Catholic Healthcare West's settlement.
Read more about hospitals and discrimination:
-Most Hospitals Lack Gay Non-Discrimination Policies, Despite Changes in HHS, Joint Commission Requirements
-Lawsuit Against UPMC Seeks to Halt Hospital Demolition
-Gender Discrimination Suit Filed by Former Pennsylvania Hospital Executive Settled Out of Court
Under the terms of the settlement, CHW has agreed to pay $257,000 in civil penalties — the largest amount of civil penalties ever paid to resolve such allegations — and $1,000 in back pay to the charging party.
According to the Justice Department's findings, CHW required non-U.S. citizen and naturalized citizen new hires to present more work authorization documents than required by federal law, but permitted native born U.S. citizens to provide documents based on their own choosing.
CHW has also agreed to review its past I-9 practices at all of its 41 facilities in order to identify and compensate any additional victims of over-documentation who have lost wages as a result, and to devise and implement policies and procedures for ensuring best practices with regard to hiring and employment eligibility verification. Further, CHW has agreed to train its recruitment personnel on their responsibilities not to discriminate and provide periodic reports to the department for three years.
Read the DOJ news release on Catholic Healthcare West's settlement.
Read more about hospitals and discrimination:
-Most Hospitals Lack Gay Non-Discrimination Policies, Despite Changes in HHS, Joint Commission Requirements
-Lawsuit Against UPMC Seeks to Halt Hospital Demolition
-Gender Discrimination Suit Filed by Former Pennsylvania Hospital Executive Settled Out of Court