Public Radio for the Piedmont and High Country
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Honda Aircraft Company Must Pay Civil Penalty Over Hiring Practices

A HondaJet is displayed at a press conference at Haneda international airport in Tokyo, Thursday, April 23, 2015. The jet was the culmination of founder Soichiro Honda's longtime dream to have a plane in Honda Motor Co.'s lineup. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

Honda Aircraft Company has been forced to pay a nearly $45,000 civil penalty to the U.S. Department of Justice. It's over a claim that the company refused to hire some non-U.S. citizens who were authorized to work.

The International Traffic in Arms Regulations limit access to certain sensitive company information to only U.S. citizens, nationals or lawful permanent residents. The concern is over aerospace technologies that could potentially be used for military purposes. But Triad Business Journal's Luke Bollinger says the rules do not mean companies like Honda Aircraft can only hire U.S. citizens.

"It's just what kind of information they are allowed to have access to," says Bollinger. "So, I think it was a misunderstanding of that law where you could see that they posted some job openings that unlawfully required applicants to have specific citizenship status, so I think that's where the misunderstanding came in."

The 25 errant job postings occurred between August 2015 and December 2016. A written statement from Honda Aircraft provided to WFDD states that the company has proactively changed policies and procedures to ensure job postings comply, and remains dedicated to equal employment opportunity.  

Before his arrival in the Triad, David had already established himself as a fixture in the Austin, Texas arts scene as a radio host for Classical 89.5 KMFA. During his tenure there, he produced and hosted hundreds of programs including Mind Your Music, The Basics and T.G.I.F. Thank Goodness, It's Familiar, which each won international awards in the Fine Arts Radio Competition. As a radio journalist with 88.5 WFDD, his features have been recognized by the Associated Press, Public Radio News Directors Inc., Catholic Academy of Communication Professionals, and Radio Television Digital News Association of the Carolinas. David has written and produced national stories for NPR, KUSC and CPRN in Los Angeles and conducted interviews for Minnesota Public Radio's Weekend America.

Support quality journalism, like the story above,
with your gift right now.

Donate