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Employment Policies

Employment Policies

Affirmative action at Principal

Principal follows a policy of nondiscrimination in employment practices. To further the objectives of this policy, the company has developed and implemented an affirmative action plan for women, minorities, people with disabilities and protected veterans (those who served on active duty during a war or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized).

Any employee or applicant for employment may request to review the company’s written Affirmative Action Plan for Protected Veterans and Individuals with Disabilities by contacting Human Resources at MyHR@principal.com or 866.524.MYHR (6947).

Equal employment opportunity

Principal is fully committed to equal employment opportunity for all employees and applicants for employment.

The company's Equal Employment Opportunity policy is to recruit and hire applicants for employment and train and promote employees regardless of age, race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, national origin, citizenship status, disability, genetic characteristics, sexual orientation, marital status, domestic partner status, military status, protected veteran or other characteristics protected by law. The company also prohibits harassment on these bases. All such employment decisions are based on individual merit, qualifications and competence as they relate to the particular positions.

Read about your Equal Opportunity Employment rights (PDF) and the law. View the Equal Opportunity Employment rights supplement (PDF).

E-Verify participant

Federal law requires all employers to verify the identity and employment eligibility of all persons hired to work in the United States. Principal participates in E-Verify.

Know your rights: Quick list

Employers must post a notice informing employees of their use of E-Verify.

  • E-Verify must be used for new hires only. It cannot be used to verify the employment eligibility of current employees.
  • E-Verify must be used for all new hires regardless of national origin or citizenship status. It may not be used selectively.
  • E-Verify must be used only after hire and after completion of the Form I-9. Employers may not pre-screen applicants through E-Verify.
  • If an employee receives a tentative nonconfirmation, the employer must promptly provide the employee with information about how to challenge the tentative nonconfirmation, including a written notice generated by E-Verify.
  • If an employee decides to challenge a tentative nonconfirmation, the employer must provide the person with a referral letter issued by E-Verify that contains specific instructions and contact information.
  • Employers may not take any adverse action against an employee because he/she contests a tentative nonconfirmation. This includes firing, suspending, withholding pay or training, or otherwise limiting his/her employment.
  • The employee must be given eight federal government work days to contact the appropriate federal agency to contest the tentative nonconfirmation.
  • Employers may not take any adverse action against any employee based upon the tentative nonconfirmation for the duration of the tentative nonconfirmation (even if it extends beyond ten federal government work days) as long as the employee contacted the appropriate federal agency within eight federal government work days.
  • Employers may terminate workers based upon E-Verify only upon receipt of a final nonconfirmation or upon notice that an employee has chosen not to contest a tentative nonconfirmation.
  • Employers may not use E-Verify to re-verify the employment eligibility of an existing employee. Re-verification must be conducted through the Form I-9.

Learn more about E-Verify from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services website.

Pay transparency

The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information. 

Global pay philosophy

Principal will design and implement pay programs to attract, retain and reward employees possessing the skills and experience to perform successfully. Our programs will be designed and governed to support the Global Human Resources' strategy and to align with the goals of Principal and its shareholders. Our programming and processes are based on the following guiding principles:

  • Total pay perspective: base/fixed pay and variable incentive pay are considered in the assessment of total pay.
  • Performance based pay: in support of a performance driven culture, pay is differentiated based on individual and company performance.
  • Purposeful flexibility: pay programs and processes are developed for global application with flexibility for modification in support of the organization's diverse business objectives in the markets and locations in which we operate.
  • Market driven: total pay is designed and administered in alignment with the external labor markets in which we compete for talent.
  • Transparency: information is shared with leaders and employees to provide an understanding of the pay philosophy and to enable total pay conversations.