Virginia Tech Company Must Pay Civil Penalty for Discriminatory ‘Whites Only’ Job Posting, DOJ Says
September 19, 2023
Blacksburg, Virginia
– A Virginia Tech company has agreed to pay a $50,000 civil penalty and implement new equal employment opportunity policies after posting a discriminatory job ad seeking “White Only” applicants, the U.S. Department of Justice announced today. The complaint alleged that in December 2022, C & C Computer Services, LLC, a federally-funded contractor, posted a job ad on Indeed.com that stated “Whites Only” in the job description. The ad was for a position in the company’s Blacksburg, Virginia, office. According to the DOJ, C & C Computer Services violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits employers from discriminating against applicants based on race or national origin. Under the consent decree, C & C Computer Services must: * Pay a $50,000 civil penalty to the United States Treasury. * Implement new equal employment opportunity policies and procedures, including training for all employees on discrimination and harassment prevention. * Report to the DOJ on its compliance with the decree for three years. “The Justice Department will not tolerate discrimination in the workplace,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Civil Rights Division. “This consent decree ensures that C & C Computer Services will take meaningful steps to prevent future instances of discrimination and promote equal opportunity for all employees.” The case was handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Virginia and the Civil Rights Division’s Employment Litigation Section.Virginia Tech Company Must Pay Civil Penalty for Discriminatory ‘Whites Only’ Job Posting, DOJ Says The Justice Department announced on Tuesday that a Virginia tech company has agreed to pay a $30,000 civil penalty for posting a discriminatory job ad that stated “Whites Only” as a requirement. The company, which was not named in the DOJ’s press release, posted the job ad on Craigslist in 2020. The ad was for a remote software engineering position and stated that only “White males” would be considered. The DOJ’s investigation found that the company’s actions violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. As part of the settlement, the company has agreed to: * Pay a $30,000 civil penalty * Remove all discriminatory language from its job postings * Implement a new policy prohibiting discrimination in employment * Train its employees on the requirements of Title VII “This case is a reminder that discrimination in employment is illegal and will not be tolerated,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We will continue to vigorously enforce Title VII and ensure that all Americans have an equal opportunity to succeed in the workplace.”
