The US Justice Department said Nov. 15 that it reached a $920,000 settlement agreement with staffing firm Kforce Inc. over allegations of bias against non-US citizens with permission to work in the US.

Job advertisements that contained improper hiring restrictions regarding citizenship status allegedly ran from March 2019 through February 2022, according to the department. These allegedly harmed lawful permanent residents and workers who had been granted asylum or refugee status by deterring them from applying for the job ads.

Under the settlement, Kforce will pay $690,000 in civil penalties and set aside $230,000 to compensate affected workers, according to the Department of Justice. The company must also train its employees on the Immigration and Nationality Act requirements, revise its employment policies and be subject to departmental monitoring and reporting requirements.

In a note to SIA, Kforce said it does not comment on legal matters.