News Release
Kansas City medical information technology company agrees to pay $1.8M to resolve racial discrimination alleged by US Department of Labor
KANSAS CITY, MO – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs has entered into a multi-establishment conciliation agreement with Cerner Corp. – a healthcare and information technology company – to resolve preliminary findings of a federal compliance evaluation that alleged the company discriminated in hiring Black and Asian applicants between 2015 to 2019.
After a routine compliance review OFCCP alleged that the employer systemically discriminated against qualified Black and Asian applicants who 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.
Cerner Corp. entered early resolution to resolve the allegations voluntarily, and agreed to pay $1,860,000 in back pay and interest to 1,870 applicants who sought employment as medical billing account/patient account specialists, system engineers, software interns and technical solution analysts.
In its compliance review, OFCCP found Cerner Corp.’s actions – from July 6, 2015, to June 30, 2019 – violated Executive Order 11246. The order prohibits 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 in Chicago.
In addition to the distribution of back pay and interest under the agreement, the company will ensure that its hiring procedures are monitored and free from discrimination. The company does not admit liability and denies OFCCP’s allegations.
Cerner provides information technology solutions to the healthcare industry. The company has federal contracts with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs.
OFCCP launched the Class Member Locator 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. If you think you may be a class member who applied for jobs at Cerner during the investigative period, please use OFCCP’s Class Member Locator to learn more about this and other settlements.
