Ameritech Global, Inc., Discrimination, Illinois 2021

Federal Prosecutors Allege Illinois Firm Discriminated Against Local Workers

In a shocking case of corporate malfeasance, federal prosecutors have accused Ameritech Global, Inc., a Chicago-based staffing and recruitment firm, of discriminating against American workers in favor of foreign nationals with temporary work visas.

According to a settlement agreement filed in court, Ameritech Global published job ads that explicitly stated a preference for hiring candidates with certain types of visas, effectively shutting out local job seekers. The alleged discrimination occurred between August 1, 2019, and June 17, 2021, with at least three job postings specifying a preference for non-U.S. citizens with work-related visas.

Federal investigators began looking into Ameritech Global after a U.S. citizen filed a complaint with the Civil Rights Division. Following a thorough investigation, prosecutors concluded that the firm’s actions violated the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), which prohibits employers from discriminating against workers based on their citizenship status.

‘We will hold accountable those employers who dissuade and refuse to hire eligible workers based on their immigration or citizenship status,’ said Kristen Clarke, the Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division. ‘The Civil Rights Division will intervene and enforce the law to ensure that workers are protected from such illegal discrimination.’

Under the terms of the settlement agreement, Ameritech Global has agreed to pay a $10,000 fine to the United States, revise its hiring policies and procedures, and provide training to its employees and agents on the INA’s anti-discrimination provision.

The Immigrant and Employee Rights (IER) Section of the Civil Rights Division is responsible for enforcing the INA’s anti-discrimination provision, which prohibits employers from discriminating against workers based on their immigration or citizenship status, as well as their national origin. If you believe you have been discriminated against in hiring, firing, recruitment, or verification of eligibility to work (Form I-9 and E-Verify) or subjected to retaliation, you can file a complaint. The IER also offers a free online seminar and can be reached at 1-800-255-7688 (workers) or 1-800-255-8155 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing-impaired individuals) or IER@usdoj.gov.

The IER also offers a resource in Spanish and can be reached through the GovDelivery service to receive the latest updates.