The settlement comes after the U.S. Department of Labor found hiring disparities at three of the company's facilities.
The Moline-based company agreed to pay $1.1 million in back wages to 265 Black applicants and 12 Hispanic applicants. Under the agreement, around 50 applicants will also receive job offers and Deere will evaluate its personnel practices.
The agreement with the labor department comes after a routine investigation found Black and Hispanic applicants were unfairly denied jobs at facilities in Milan, Ankeny and Waterloo between 2021 and 2022.
A department spokesperson said in an email to WVIK that Deere & Company's hiring practices are subject to regular review because it's a contractor for federal agencies.
In a release, the department's Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs said people who applied for positions with Deere & Co. can use its Class Member Locator to learn more about this and other settlements.
