A South Carolina senior living company, Watercrest Community Management LLC, has reached a settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) over allegations of discrimination against a non-U.S. citizen employee. The company, based in Myrtle Beach, will pay a fine and take corrective action to prevent future violations of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).

The case stemmed from a complaint filed by a worker whose valid work authorization document was rejected by Watercrest. According to the DOJ, the company demanded additional and unnecessary documents solely because of the worker’s citizenship status, which violated federal law. The investigation revealed that Watercrest’s use of its commercial Form I-9 software program led to improper requests for extra paperwork, even though the worker’s documentation was valid.

Under the INA, employers are prohibited from rejecting legitimate work authorization documents or requesting more information than necessary based on an individual’s citizenship or immigration status. Kristen Clarke, Assistant Attorney General of the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division, emphasized that federal law protects workers from such discrimination, aiming to eliminate barriers to employment.

As part of the settlement, Watercrest has agreed to implement several measures. The company will now manually verify work authorizations and, if needed, use the E-Verify system to resolve issues instead of rejecting employees outright. Additionally, Watercrest will revise its hiring policies and provide training for its employees on the INA’s antidiscrimination provisions. The company will also be monitored by the DOJ for compliance and will submit regular reports on its employment practices.

Watercrest has also agreed to pay a civil penalty of $3,456. A representative for the company did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

This settlement reinforces the DOJ’s commitment to safeguarding workers from discrimination and ensuring that employers comply with the legal requirements for verifying work authorization.