With a fine of $14.3 million, transferred around 12.3 million euros, Facebook is now free from further prosecution over the matter.
The US Department of Justice sued Facebook in December, alleging that it actively discourages Americans from applying for certain positions. These jobs are reserved for foreign applicants who can work for Facebook with what’s called an H-1B work visa. The United States issues these visas to workers with highly skilled and highly specialized knowledge.
The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division described the settlement as “historic.” This would be the largest fine ever imposed by this department. Of that amount, less than $4.8 million is meant as a penalty. The remaining $9.5 million will go to people who have been scammed by Facebook’s employee policy.
“Facebook is not above the law and must comply with all federal civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination in the hiring and hiring process,” said Kristen Clark, the county attorney general. On the other hand, Facebook believes that everything went according to the rules. The company, which also owns WhatsApp and Instagram, said it wanted to avoid a lengthy legal battle through the settlement.
