A healthcare staffing firm in Nevada just pled guilty to conspiring with a competitor to fix wages for school nurses and agreeing not to solicit each other’s workers – the nation’s first-ever successful criminal prosecution of a workplace-related antitrust matter. The firm was sentenced to pay $134,000, according to an Oct 27 announcement from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). While the dollar amount may not seem high, the staffing firm was fairly small and the violations occurred over less than a year – meaning larger companies could face larger fines for similar conduct over a longer period. What does this historic outcome mean for your business? Here’s what you need to know about antitrust laws and recent federal actions against employers – as well as six steps should you take to stay on the right side of the law.
