In a deal finalized on April 12, 2024, Cloudera agreed to pay a total of $2 million to the U.S. Department of Justice and the Department of Labor after a lawsuit accused it of discriminating against U.S. workers in its PERM green‑card sponsorships.
The suit, filed in early April, alleged that for seven positions Cloudera’s hiring process favored foreign nationals over equally qualified American applicants, violating the Immigration and Nationality Act.
Under the settlement, the company will contribute $600,000 in civil penalties and create a $1.4 million back‑pay fund for U.S. workers who were denied fair consideration.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon said the payment signals federal commitment to enforcing anti‑discrimination laws in the tech sector.
Cloudera will also face a two‑year prohibition on PERM filings, plus enhanced monitoring, revised compliance procedures, and mandatory reporting to ensure future adherence to labor standards.
The PERM process, the first step for employment‑based green‑card sponsorship, requires employers to prove no qualified U.S. workers are available; Cloudera’s breach underscores the scrutiny tech firms face over hiring practices.
The company must submit its compliance plan by May 15, with the DOJ reviewing progress quarterly thereafter.