Dive Brief:
- In reaction to President Donald Trump’s ban on immigrants from seven African and Middle-east nations, Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz announced his company will hire 10,000 immigrants, reports Fortune.
- Schultz issued a letter to all employees pledging to hire anyone fleeing from violence, war, discrimination or persecution. Starbucks' hiring efforts will begin in the U.S. with people who served with American troops as support personnel and interpreters, says Fortune.
- Schultz is also reimbursing workers who have enrolled in Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), known as the “Dreamers,” who must pay a fee every other year to continue with the federal program.
Dive Insight:
In an era in which corporations and corporate heads are criticized for what’s perceived as their greed and disregard for workers, Schultz showed uncharacteristic courage and compassion for the coffee chain’s hires.
HR will have the most important role of working with managers to place and train immigrants in positions within the company. Of equal importance is ensuring against prejudice in the workplace. Employee resource groups and multilingual resources can help make affected workers' transitions easier.
Trump’s immigration ban prompted protests around the world. Even Republicans lawmakers John McCain (R-AR) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC) publicly objected to the ban.
As HR Dive went to press, Schultz was among a few heads of major corporations to come out publicly against the ban, but the only one to take action against the executive order so far.
