OSC TELEPHONE INTERVENTIONS

OSC Interventions: national origin

Baton Rouge, LA

On May 14, 2010, OSC successfully completed a telephone intervention, resulting in a new job for a recent immigrant. The job applicant, an immigrant from the Dominican Republic, was hired by janitorial service. She complied with the requirements of the employment eligibility verification (Form I-9) process by producing a current employment authorization document (EAD). However, she was not allowed to work, because she could not pass a background security check. Since she had not been in the United States for five years, she was advised that she would have to provide the employer with a criminal records check from the Dominican Republic or pay $350 for the employer’s contractor to conduct an international criminal background search. OSC contacted the employer and explained the protections afforded by the anti-discrimination provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) against workplace discrimination on the basis of citizenship status or national origin. The employer then decided to approve the applicant to start work. OSC interventions: other I-9 and document issues.