The Justice Dept announced today that it reached a settlement with Catholic Healthcare West (CHW) to resolve allegations that they engaged in a pattern of citizenship discrimination by imposing discriminatory hurdles to employment for work-authorized individuals by requesting that non-US citizen and naturalized US citizens present more work authorization than required by law. CHW is the 8th largest hospital provider in the nation, operating facilities in California, Nevada and Arizona. CHW agreed to pay $257,000 in civil penalties – the largest amount of civil penalties ever paid to resolve such allegations.

This settlement sends a strong message to all employers how vitally important it is to have staff that is charged with the I-9 process properly trained on the laws governing I-9’s and specifically on each section of the form.  All workers who are authorized to work in the USA have the right to look for a job without encountering discrimination because of their immigration status or national origin”, said Thomas E. Prerez, Asst. Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.