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Cerner Will Pay Feds $1.8M in Hiring Discrimination Settlement

News  |  By Scott Mace  
   August 18, 2022

The company had been accused of discriminatory hiring practices against Blacks and Asians.

Cerner Corp. has resolved a preliminary finding of discrimination in hiring Black and Asian job applications between 2015 and 2019.

In an agreement with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP), Cerner signed a multi-establishment conciliation agreement that will pay $1,860,000 in back pay and interest to 1,870 job applicants who applied for jobs as medical billing account/patient account specialists, system engineers, software interns and technical solution analysts.

These applicants had applied for positions to work at five facilities in Missouri and Kansas, specifically at its Cerner Oaks Campus and Cerner Innovations Campus in Kansas City, Missouri; and at its Cerner Corp. and Cerner Continuous Campus North Tower in Kansas City, Kansas.

An OFCCP compliance review found that Cerner Corp. violated Executive Order 11246, prohibiting federal contractors from discriminating in employment based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or national origin.

"Working together, the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs and Cerner Corp. will ensure that the issues identified in this compliance evaluation are resolved and that Cerner puts into place procedures to ensure compliance with equal employment opportunity laws," said Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs Regional Director Carmen Navarro, based in Chicago.

Cerner also agreed that its hiring procedures will be monitored and free from discrimination. The company did not admit liability, and denied the allegations filed by OFCCP.

Cerner provides technology under federal contracts with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs.

OFCCP continues to identify applicants or workers who may be entitled to monetary relief and/or consideration for job placement as a result of OFCCP’s compliance evaluations and complaint investigations during the time period under investigation.

Scott Mace is a contributing writer for HealthLeaders.


KEY TAKEAWAYS

Cerner will pay $1,860,000 in back pay and interest to 1,870 job applicants who applied for jobs as medical billing account/patient account specialists, system engineers, software interns and technical solution analysts.

These applicants had applied for positions to work at five facilities in Missouri and Kansas, specifically at its Cerner Oaks Campus and Cerner Innovations Campus in Kansas City, Missouri; and at its Cerner Corp. and Cerner Continuous Campus North Tower in Kansas City, Kansas.

An OFCCP compliance review found that Cerner Corp. violated Executive Order 11246, prohibiting federal contractors from discriminating in employment based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or national origin.


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