High-profile police killings of black people have galvanized the movement for racial justice. That movement, together with the disproportionate impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, has focused the attention of media, the public and policy makers on systemic racism, racialized violence and inequities in employment, health care, and the criminal justice system.
Several aspects of MAXIMUS’s business and operations suggest that a racial equity audit would be useful. MAXIMUS describes itself as a “leading operator of government health and human services programs worldwide,” primarily “business process services (BPS) in the health services and human services markets.”1 Subpar administration of such services can disproportionately affect people of color.
For example, Black and Hispanic people are overrepresented among the uninsured in Tennessee,2 and MAXIMUS has come under fire for the number of children purged from Tennessee’s Medicaid program, for which MAXIMUS made eligibility determinations; state representatives called for an audit of MAXIMUS’s work, citing “grave concerns.”3 MAXIMUS determines Medicaid eligibility in 13 states, including California and New York.4 Similarly, MAXIMUS processes applications for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (“SNAP”),5 35% of whose recipients are Black or Hispanic.6
Issues involving MAXIMUS’s workforce may have racial equity implications. A federal judge in Louisiana recently denied MAXIMUS’s motion to find in its favor without a trial on a Black former employee’s claims that he was fired after “falsely being accused of a pattern of behavior as a big angry Black man” and complaining to the company’s ethics hotline about his supervisor’s treatment.7 MAXIMUS employees have protested the company’s policies regarding sick and caregiver leave during the COVID-19 pandemic,8 which has disproportionately affected people of color.9
Finally, MAXIMUS’s lobbying activities may cause adverse racial impacts. In 2020, the most recent year for which full data is available, MAXIMUS reported lobbying on bills dealing with COVID-19 relief, the SNAP program, and criminal justice issues.10 Current rules do not require MAXIMUS to disclose the positions it took on legislation, but those positions may be inconsistent with a commitment to racial equity.
For the above reasons, MAXIMUS should assess its behavior through a racial equity lens to identify how it contributes to systemic racism and could begin to help dismantle it.