Apple has reached a settlement to pay $25 million in response to accusations of discriminatory hiring practices during the years 2018 and 2019.

On Thursday, an agreement was reached to settle a long investigation by the Department of Justice regarding purported violations of the Immigration and Nationality Act.

In 2019, federal regulators concluded that Apple’s hiring procedures were biased against American applicants, as they were passed over for immigrant workers seeking permanent residency in the United States. The settlement also revealed that Apple displayed discrimination against non-U.S. residents in certain cases.

Apple strongly denied any misconduct in the official seven-page agreement and defended its hiring practices in a statement to The Associated Press.

Apple stated that they have over 90,000 employees in the US and are actively investing across the country, resulting in the creation of numerous job opportunities. The company, based in Cupertino, California, admitted to not following the standard set by the Department of Justice and agreed to a settlement to address their concerns.

The $25 million is a small sum compared to Apple’s revenue of $383 billion from the previous fiscal year ending on Sept. 30. The majority of the settlement, $18.25 million, will go towards a fund to compensate those affected by Apple’s reported discrimination. The remaining amount will cover the fine imposed on Apple for their hiring practices during the relevant time period.

Source: wral.com