DOJ: Ore. forestry company unfairly fired worker

[ProSense]

Source: Bloomberg/Associated Press

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The U.S. Department of Justice has ordered an Oregon forestry products company to pay $15,000 to a permanent resident it unlawfully fired and later refused to rehire in violation of the Immigration and Nationality Act.

A Justice Department release said it reached the settlement with Collins Management Corp. on Wednesday. Collins Management also agreed to give its managers and personnel representatives anti-discrimination training.

The Justice Department said Collins Management fired the complainant when he failed to show them a permanent resident card, also known as a green card, even though he had a driver's license and Social Security card.

The company also refused to consider rehiring him two months later because it did not believe his documentation was valid.



Read more: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-12-30/doj-ore-forestry-company-unfairly-fired-worker.html

[forty6]

1. There must be more to this story. What am I missing?

Does he not qualify for a Green card? Is he already a citizen? If not, how did he get a Social Security number without a Green card?

Something doesn't make sense in this very short story. I'd like to know a bit more.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

2. here's the DOJ PA release... it has a bit more detail..

Justice Department Settles Allegations of Immigration-Related Unfair Employment Practices in Oregon and North Carolina

WASHINGTON – The Justice Department today announced that it has reached a settlement agreement with Collins Management Corporation, a forestry products company in Oregon, to resolve allegations that it unlawfully fired and later refused to rehire a lawful permanent resident in violation of the anti-discrimination provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).

According to the department’s findings, Collins insisted that a lawful permanent resident present an unexpired permanent resident card (also known as a "green card") for Form I-9 purposes, even though the individual had already presented his driver’s license and unrestricted Social Security card to the employer. The department further found that the company fired the individual when he was unable to present an unexpired green card and refused to consider him for re-hire two months later because the company believed he did not possess proper documentation.

more
http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2010/December/10-crt-1483.html

[Tempest]

3. Permanent resident aliens get "right to work" SS cards

It's part of the path to citizenship.

According to the law, I-9 documentation includes SS numbers and drivers licenses, both of which the worker provided. The company apparently demanded additional documentation and the worker had no legal obligation to provide them. The company then made matters worse by refusing to accept any documentation for the worker when he reapplied for his job.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

4. I would like to see more details as well, including how large a company and if it has had

prior problems in this area.

I know a number os small employers who are really frustrated with the current system. INS will break you if they find you are employing illegal immigrants but provides little help in determining who is OK and who is not to small businesses who lack the tools and resources larger firms do. It tends to make the companies a little gun shy.