(07:22) SALINAS – A Salinas-based agricultural company has been fined by the Department of Labor for favoring foreign workers over U.S. citizens. Officials say Foothill Packing illegally fired 18 workers who were U.S. citizens, claiming they failed to meet production standards. Investigators found that those workers exceeded the production levels of many foreign workers doing the same jobs. Additionally, the foreign workers were hired under the H-2A visa program, which requires an employer to offer jobs to citizens first before hiring foreign workers. The company has been ordered to pay $180,000 to the terminated workers plus an additional $55,000 in fines. (S.G.)
