United States of America v. Ameritech Global, Inc.

Chicago, Illinois - The United States Department of Justice sued Ameritech Global, Inc. on a civil rights job discrimination violation theory claiming that Ameritech was discriminating against U.S. workers when it posted job advertisements specifying its preference for hiring applicants with temporary work visas, and failed to consider at least three U.S. worker applicants who nevertheless applied to the advertised positions.



The department's investigation began after a U.S. citizen filed a discrimination complaint with the Civil Rights Division against Ameritech. Based on its investigation, the department concluded that from at least Aug.1, 2019 to June 17, 2021, Ameritech posted at least three job advertisements announcing its preference to fill positions with non-U.S. citizens with immigration statuses associated with certain employment-based visas, and, in doing so, harmed U.S. workers (U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, recent lawful permanent residents, asylees and refugees), by both unlawfully deterring many of them from applying and failing to fairly consider hiring those who nevertheless applied. Under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), employers are not generally allowed to discriminate in recruitment or hiring based on citizenship status.



"Employers who discourage and refuse to hire eligible job applicants based on their citizenship or immigration status must be held accountable,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division. "The Civil Rights Division will step in and vigorously enforce the law to ensure that workers are protected from such unlawful discrimination.”

Under the terms of a settlement agreement, Ameritech will pay $10,000 in civil penalties to the United States, revise its policies and procedures and train relevant employees and agents on the INA’s anti-discrimination provision.