When Abercrombie & Fitch’s Michigan stores ran into problems with properly completing I-9 forms, it turned out to be a seven-figure mistake. In September 2010, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Office of Homeland Security Investigations announced a $1,047,110 fine for violations of the Immigration and Nationality Act that related to the clothing retailer’s obligation to verify the employment eligibility of its workers. The fine was imposed even though the clothing retailer fully cooperated with investigators and there was no proof it knowingly hired illegal workers.
“Employers are responsible not only for the people they hire but also for the internal systems they choose to utilize to manage their employment process and those systems must result in effective compliance,” said Brian M. Moskowitz, special agent in charge of ICE HSI for Ohio and Michigan, in a press release.