ALJ Declines to Award Damages, Civil Penalties in Document Abuse Case

On December 3, 2020, the Office of the Chief Administrative Hearing Officer entered a precedential decision in Martine Mbitaze v. City of Greenbelt, 13 OCAHO 1345b, a case arising out of the employment discrimination provision of 8 U.S.C. 1324b. In October 2019, Mbitaze had filed a complaint against the City of Greenbelt alleging that the city had refused to hire her based on her national origin and citizenship status and had engaged in document abuse in violation of 8 U.S.C. Sec. 1324b.

Civil Penalties in Document Abuse Case

On October 1, 2020, the Court granted summary judgment to the City of Greenbelt on the discrimination claims, but found the City engaged in document abuse in that it “asked for, and ins