Published: Friday, Nov. 06, 2009 / Updated: Thursday, Nov. 05, 2009 11:10 PM

S.C. company fined $24,000 over workers' documentation

MOUNT PLEASANT -- Pleasant Places landscaping faces a $24,000 state fine for alleged violations of the South Carolina Illegal Immigration Reform Act, officials said Thursday.

Since July 1, the state Office of Immigration Worker Compliance has cited 16 businesses for violations of the new law after conducting audits at 550 firms. Of those cited, only Pleasant Places has failed to correct alleged violations, said Jim Knight, communications director for the state Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation. The business is accused of failing to verify the legal status of 24 workers hired after July 1, he said. The maximum penalty per violation is $1,000.

On Aug. 11, Pleasant Places was fined $4,250 for violations of the immigrant worker law, according to the immigration office. Company President Jason E. James on Aug. 13 certified the business was in compliance with the law governing illegal immigrants, and the fine was dismissed. On Oct. 20, the company was cited for allegedly failing to verify the status of 24 workers and fined $24,000. The second citation occurred within two years of the first one so the $24,000 penalty cannot be adjusted even if a good faith compliance effort is demonstrated, Knight said. However, the company can appeal the citation within 30 days to an administrative law judge, he said. Knight said Pleasant Places is the first business in the state to be cited twice for violating the new law.

“We have not heard from them since the (Oct. 20) citation was issued,” Knight said.

Before the new law took effect, James said at a local meeting of concerned businessmen that about 90 percent of his labor force is Hispanic.