DOJ Files Suit Against Northwest Potato Companies

On Monday, the Justice Department filed a lawsuit against Washington Potato Company and Pasco Processing LLC.  DOJ alleges that the companies violated the Immigration and Nationality Act by discriminating against immigrants during the employment eligibility verification process because of their citizenship status.

The DOJ said between November 2013 and October 2016, Washington Potato and Pasco Processing requested specific limited documentation for the Form I-9 and/or E-Verify from non-U.S. citizen employees, but allowed U.S. citizens the flexibility to present a variety of documents.  Under the INA, all workers, including non-U.S. citizens, must be allowed to choose freely from among the valid documentation that proves their work authorization.  The INA prohibits employers from discriminating by unlawfully limiting some workers’ choices based on their citizenship status.

“Federal law protects individuals with legal work authorization from facing discriminatory obstacles during employment eligibility verification,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Vanita Gupta, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.  “All people with legal employment status in the United States must receive an equal opportunity to prove they can work, regardless of their citizenship or immigration status.”

The Office of Special Counsel for Immigration-Related Unfair Employment Practices (OSC) is responsible for enforcing the anti-discrimination provision of the INA.  Among other things, the statute prohibits citizenship status and national origin discrimination in hiring, firing or recruitment or referral for a fee; unfair documentary practices; retaliation and intimidation.

If you have a story idea for the Washington Ag Network, call (509) 547-1618, or e-mail gvaagen@cherrycreekradio.com