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Rockland Healthcare Business That Ran Anti-Haitian Ad Hit With $100K Fine

ROCKLAND COUNTY, N.Y. -- A healthcare employment business with offices in Nanuet has been ordered to pay a $100,000 fine for running employments ads that said, "no haitians" need apply, Attorney General Eric Schneiderman said.

Attorney General Eric Schneiderman said that Interim Healthcare of Greater New York will receive a $100,000 fine for running an employment ad that stated 'no Haitians' need apply.

Attorney General Eric Schneiderman said that Interim Healthcare of Greater New York will receive a $100,000 fine for running an employment ad that stated 'no Haitians' need apply.

Photo Credit: File photo

The payment would cover the costs of the investigation and is part of an overall settlement with Interim Healthcare of Greater New York, Inc., Schneiderman said in a statement. 

The investigation found that the ad came about, partly because a patient asked for a nurse who was not Haitian.

"Blatantly discriminatory job advertisements like this are wrong and clearly illegal,” Schneiderman said. “My office is committed to ensuring equal access to employment for all New Yorkers and will not tolerate discrimination against any New Yorker based on race or national origin or any other protected status.”

The Attorney General’s investigation included reviewing policies related to hiring, advertising and internal complaints; anti-discrimination policies; copies of published advertisements for employment; and documents produced by Interim Healthcare relating directly to the published advertisement that excluded Haitian applicants.

Two human resource managers were fired over the advertisement after the business was attacked by Rockland's Haitian community and others, including protests outside the company's office on New Clarkstown Road.

Under the agreement, Interim Healthcare agrees to:

  • Develop a Caregiver Placement Equal Employment Opportunity Policy prohibiting discriminatory conduct in processing patients’ requests for caregivers, hiring and advertising for employment in compliance with the law;
  • Designate the Vice President of Human Resources to oversee the processing of patients’ requests for caregivers, advertising and hiring process;
  • Conduct an Anti-Discrimination Training Program for all employees whose responsibilities involve patients’ requests for caregivers, recruitment, advertisement, and hiring;
  • Investigate all complaints, written or oral, alleging discriminatory treatment on the basis of race, national origin or gender and provide the Attorney General with reports describing all such complaints; and
  • Pay $100,000 in penalties, fees and costs in connection with the investigation.

"The contributions Haitian-Americans and their families have made to not only the healthcare profession but in all aspects of our society should be celebrated, not rejected, and this settlement sends a strong message of our commitment to protect the rights of all New Yorkers,” said State Sen. David Carlucci. “This settlement could not have been secured without the work of Attorney General Schneiderman and the advocacy of many throughout our community who said that this type of discriminatory behavior will not be tolerated in Rockland County, or anywhere in New York.”

“I would like to thank the Attorney General for his swift investigation and response to the blatant discrimination that was unfortunately displayed here last year,” said Assemblyman Kenneth Zebrowski. “Not only a violation of the law, there is absolutely no place for employment discrimination, or any discrimination in New York State and I believe that this response makes that very clear. I am hopeful that this settlement agreement will provide appropriate oversight to ensure another incident never happens again, as well as reassure the Haitian community that this type of behavior will not be tolerated.”

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