EEOC Warns Against Anti-American Bias in Hiring: Legal Consequences to Ensue
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the federal agency tasked with enforcing laws against job discrimination and harassment, has issued a stern warning to U.S. employers: anti-American bias in hiring will be met with severe legal and financial consequences.
Andrea Lucas, acting EEOC chair, declared on Wednesday that she would prioritize the protection of American workers from illegal discrimination. She emphasized that biases against Americans in hiring have become a widespread problem in industries ranging from agriculture and manufacturing to blue-collar jobs.
Lucas attributed the surge in anti-American bias to the desire of employers to exploit cheap labor through the employment of undocumented workers. This discriminatory hiring practice, she asserted, has significantly contributed to the nation’s migration crisis by incentivizing foreign nationals to enter the U.S. illegally.
In a direct address to employers, Lucas stated, "The law applies to you, and you are not above the law. If you are part of the pipeline contributing to our immigration crisis or abusing our legal immigration system via illegal preferences against American workers, you must stop."
Lucas emphasized the devastating impact of this bias on American families and communities, underscoring that it harms a broad spectrum of individuals who are united by their common characteristic as Americans.
"They have been let down by the businesses in their communities, and they have been discriminated against," she said. "Under President Donald Trump, that is going to change."
The EEOC has a proven track record of successfully advocating for American workers who have been subjected to discrimination by suing offending employers and securing multimillion-dollar settlements. However, Lucas emphasized the importance of American workers standing up for their rights by filing charges with the EEOC.
"You can bring a charge, even if you’re just an applicant," Lucas said. "You don’t have to have been an employee and fired. You can say, ‘I applied, I wanted to apply to this business, and I believe that they are discriminating against us and against American workers in preference for foreign workers.’"
The EEOC has a history of pursuing large-scale, multimillion-dollar cases against employers found to be engaging in discriminatory hiring practices. Lucas anticipates that this trend will continue, given the prevalence of such cases.
"We do have a large track record of large-scale, multimillion-dollar cases," Lucas said. "I expect that we’re going to continue to see significant cases because the caseload is there."
President Trump’s commitment to fighting for American workers extends to ensuring that they have fair and equal opportunities for employment. The EEOC’s renewed focus on combating anti-American bias in hiring aligns with this goal.
"Part of that is making sure that jobs that people are qualified for, they actually have a fair and fighting chance to compete for, as opposed to being automatically discriminated against in favor of importing foreign workers," Lucas said.
