In a bizarre twist of fate, a printing company in North Carolina found itself in hot water after asking one too many questions. Printful, a printing and fulfillment enterprise established in 2013, recently learned that crossing the line between diligent hiring practices and discriminatory inquiries comes with a hefty price tag: a whopping $30,700 settlement, as announced by the U.S. Department of Justice.
The story begins innocently enough, with Printful conducting routine hiring procedures at its fulfillment centers in Charlotte. However, trouble brewed when a newly hired employee found herself caught in the crosshairs of bureaucracy gone wrong. Armed with a Social Security card and a driver’s license—documents sufficient to prove her eligibility to work—the employee was startled when asked to produce a “green card.”
Now, while a green card might be a common request in a parallel universe, in the realm of employment law, it’s akin to waving a red flag in front of the Justice Department’s proverbial bull. Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke minced no words in her assessment, declaring Printful’s actions a violation of discrimination law faster than a printer spits out a page.
By demanding specific documents from non-U.S. citizens, Printful unwittingly crafted its own discriminatory policy, landing itself in the Justice Department’s crosshairs. And oh boy, did the repercussions sting like an unplanned paper cut.
In a settlement that left both Printful and onlookers scratching their heads, the company was slapped with a civil penalty of $27,500—ouch! But wait, there’s more! An additional $6,200 in back pay and lost wages was awarded to the aggrieved employee.
Printful was also sentenced to HR re-education camp, where its employees would undergo rigorous retraining to ensure future hiring practices steer clear of discriminatory pitfalls. And just to add insult to injury, they were tasked with prominently displaying a poster from the Civil Rights Division, reminding potential hires that if they have the right to work, no employer should dare take it away.
