Catherwood LibraryILR School

In the early 2000?s, a California based firm called Global Horizons Inc. brought Thai workers to Hawaiian farms on H2-A visas and in 2011, the EEOC filed a claim stating that Global Horizon?s practiced discrimination, harassment, and retaliated against the workers for even minor rules infractions. Since then, the claim has progressed through the judicial system and last week a U.S. District Court Judge ruled that the company in fact exploited, physically abused, engaged in discriminatory practices, and verbally harassed and threatened the Thai workers to gain compliance and obedience in deplorable working conditions. The promise of work was enough to lure the Thai workers to Hawaii, but the ?recruitment fees? and other expenses made it near impossible for them to return home even after they experienced being beaten and threatened with arrest or being shot. The CEO of Global Horizons, Mordechai Yosef Orian has told the Hawaii Reporter that the EEOC claims are ?insane?, ?delusional?, and ?never happened?, although he has yet to read the judge?s order. The suit involves hundreds of Thai people brought to Hawaii by the company between 2003 and 2007. All but one of the six farms have settled out of court, but a similar case in Washington state has led to a companion suit being filed and is set to start on September 15th.