Hey! We actually got a good Civil Rights outcome in our country!

Sure, it might be a slap on the wrist ($3 million is nothing to massive tech companies), but a win nonetheless.

(For OpenAI, a $3.2 million fine is equivalent to about $0.25 for you and me.)

HOWEVER, there is a precedent being set here for hiring Americans - a precedent that could lead to many new court cases.

Here's the DOJ's press release:

The Justice Department's Civil Rights Division announced today that it has secured a combined $3,200,000 settlement with OpenAI OpCo LLC, a San Francisco, California-based artificial intelligence company, and its subsidiary, Statsig Inc., a Bellevue, Washington-based software development company (together, OpenAI). The settlement addresses allegations that both companies violated the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) by discriminating against U.S. workers and instead preferred workers with temporary employment visas, when the companies hired and recruited during the Permanent Labor Certification (PERM) process.

'It is illegal to discriminate against U.S. workers by preferring temporary visa holders for jobs,' said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division. 'This substantial settlement ensures that OpenAI redresses harm and changes its recruitment practices so that U.S. workers receive a fair opportunity for highly sought-after technology positions.'

The statement goes on to detail how OpenAI never intended to hire Americans, never posted jobs where American job-seekers could find them, and instead farmed all of their recruitment out overseas to give jobs to people who would take substantially less pay.

$1.2 million of the settlement goes to the DOJ, while the remaining $2 million is being paid out to American workers who were discriminated against.

But people still aren't happy with the results:

AAG Dhillon points out that, while this appears to be a slap on the wrist, Congress sets the fines and the Justice Department merely enforces the law.

Sounds like we need some updated laws that hit traitorous tech companies where it hurts.