Apple has reached an agreement with the Justice Department to settle charges of hiring and recruitment discrimination. As part of the settlement, Apple will pay up to $25 million.
The Justice Department alleged that Apple violated anti-discrimination requirements while recruiting for positions under the permanent labor certification program (PERM). PERM is a government program that allows employers to sponsor workers for lawful permanent resident status.
According to the Justice Department, Apple failed to advertise PERM positions on its external site and required applicants to submit paper applications. Apple, however, stated that the PERM process only accounts for about 5% of its U.S. workforce and that it did not intentionally violate any laws.
“We realized we had unintentionally not been following the DOJ standard, and we agreed to a settlement addressing their concerns,” an Apple spokesperson said. “We have implemented a robust remediation plan to comply with government requirements as we continue to hire American workers and grow in the U.S.”
Under the settlement, Apple will pay $6.75 million in civil penalties and establish an $18.25 million back pay fund for victims of discrimination. Additionally, Apple will be required to conduct more extensive recruitment efforts for PERM positions.
Some of the changes mandated by the agreement were already implemented by Apple during the Justice Department’s investigation.