Four years of discriminating and sidestepping prospective Black and Asian employees has come at a major cost to a Missouri-based company. In August, Cerner Corp. – a North Kansas City medical information technology company – agreed to a settlement worth nearly $1.9 million with the U.S. Department of Labor.
This is just another example of how workplace discrimination affects the lives of people and their families who want to earn a living without having to be judged by the color of their skin and country of origin.
Discriminating nearly 1,900 prospective employees
Although Cerner denied the government’s allegations and does not admit to any liability, it plans to pay $1.86 million in back pay and interest to nearly 1,900 people who sought work at the company in roles ranging from billing account specialists and systems engineers to software interns and technical solution analysts.
The allegations stem from Cerner’s discrimination of Black and Asian job applicants from July 2015 to June 2019 at five of its facilities in Missouri and Kansas. The racial discrimination primarily occurred at two locations in Kansas City, Missouri, and a third in Kansas City, Kansas.
Agrees to monitor its hiring practices
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs contended that Cerner violated an executive order that prohibits federal contractors from workplace discrimination based on factors that include race, gender, religion, sexual orientation and national origin.
Cerner has federal contracts with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs.
As part of the government’s investigation, Cerner also agree to have its hiring practices monitored and that those practices remain free of discrimination.
Act and seek resolution
Has a prospective employer passed you over simply because of your skin color or any other reason? Any worker subjected to discrimination should take action. Document every incident, report it to human resources and a trusted supervisor, and seek legal assistance.
