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Chemonics International

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Wage Discrimination Against Project Office Staff - Program Assistant Chemonics International Employee Review

1.0
Jul 13, 2020
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

If project management or business development are your areas of career interest and you are DC-based, this company will give you opportunities for that. Of course, that assumes you can get past the institutionalized racism.

Cons

Chemonics and a host of other international development groups provide far lower salaries with fewer benefits to local country nationals than they do to American expats performing the exact same jobs. Management's argument is that they "pay standard market rates" to all employees and it just so happens that the expat labor market demands a higher rate than the local labor market for the same position. This is not wage discrimination based on nationality by the letter of the law, but anyone can see that it's wage discrimination by the spirit of the law. I was shut down repeatedly for calling attention to this and the fact that our local country staff often get health insurance packages that would never be offered to an American. This has very real consequences when local project office staff get sick or injured and can't afford appropriate medical care. Furthermore, it should come as no surprise if you glance at the salaries page on this website that most of the upper level American staff have become millionaires by working at Chemonics. I'm a white American man and even I know that this is wrong. It's wrong that in an aid organization, an employee can lose everything to a treatable illness while another becomes wealthy based solely on their country of origin. It's wrong that they do this to people.

Explore other reviews about Chemonics International

5.0
May 28, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Truly a great company to work for, they care so much about work/life balance. Everyone is kind and they are like family.

Cons

It can be hard working from home because you never see your coworkers and sometimes you lose that momentum.

4.0
Apr 8, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Clear company structure, processes, and tools. Professional development funds available. Easy-to-use and high-quality benefits. Pay is fair for the work.

Cons

"Company is family" mentality, sanitized rather than straightforward communications from executives, poor training, unclear standards of success, vague professional growth guidance and no clear paths towards becoming the ideal professional at this company.

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