CWS 3.0: July 16, 2014

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Buyers Beware: Staffing firms agree to report unlawful requests

Five New York City staffing firms agreed to report staffing buyers who make discriminatory requests for job applicants or seek personnel for below minimum-wage jobs, the New York Attorney General’s Office announced Thursday.

Such buyer requests may now come up for scrutiny by the New York Attorney General.

The reporting agreement came as part of a deal between the staffing firms and Attorney General’s Office to end discriminatory practices and sending of workers to below-minimum wage jobs.

“These agreements will send a strong message: Employment discrimination and exploitation of job seekers — including among our hard-working immigrant communities — are unacceptable,” Attorney General Eric Schneiderman said in a statement.

An 18-month Attorney General’s Civil Rights Bureau investigation found the firms collected information on national origin, gender and age, according to the office. They used the data to unlawfully — in accordance with staffing buyer preferences — steer workers away from certain jobs such as “Mexican pasta man,” “European-looking sales girl,” “delivery, looking for a guy,” “construction two to three guys,” and “sales 20-25 years.”

The firms also referred workers to jobs that paid as little as $3.75 an hour, according to the office. And they charged job seekers excessive referral fees and failed to refund advance fees as required by New York law.

The firms targeted Spanish-speaking job seekers in Queens and Brooklyn, according to the office.

In addition to alerting authorities of unlawful requests, the agreements also call for the staffing firms to comply with the law; revise their policies and procedures; obtain training; and pay a total of $20,000 in penalties, fees and costs.

Firms involved include Excellent Employment Agency, United Employment Agency, Patricia Employment Agency, Rivera Employment Agency and Sunset Employment Services.