RICHMOND, VA – Arthur Grand Technologies Inc., a Virginia-based IT services firm, has reached a settlement with the U.S. Department of Labor and the U.S. Justice Department over a controversial job advertisement. The ad specified that applicants must be “only US Born Citizens [white],” sparking significant backlash and allegations of violating the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), which prohibits employment discrimination based on race, religion, and other attributes.
The settlement, disclosed last week, does not include an admission or denial of wrongdoing by Arthur Grand Technologies. However, the Justice Department maintains that the advertisement breached federal law. The CEO, Sheik Rahmathullah, attributed the post to a “rogue employee” and claimed it was meant to embarrass the company.
Under the settlement terms, Arthur Grand Technologies agreed to compensate 31 affected individuals with $31,000 each and will pay a fine of $7,500. The firm must also implement training for its staff on the INA, revise its hiring policies, and undergo departmental monitoring.
Further obligations set by a separate agreement with the Labor Department include allowing inspections and providing access to employment documents, along with a prohibition on retaliatory actions against individuals involved in the investigation or complaint process.
