Fined School System Suspends Foreign Hiring

UPPER MARLBORO, Md. (AP) -- Prince George's County school officials say they have stopped recruiting teachers from overseas after being order to pay nearly $6 million in penalties and fees by the U.S. Department of Labor.

Superintendent William R. Hite Jr. says there will be no recruitment through the end of the year as the system considers whether to continue hiring foreign teachers who specialize in math and science. The teachers were hired under a visa program for foreign workers, but the Department of Labor found the teachers were illegally required to pay fees that should have been handled by their employer.

The department on Monday ordered that the more than 1,000 teachers be reimbursed for $4.2 million in fees, while the school system was fined $1.7 million. The school system is appealing.

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