Rick Jackaon -- candidate for GA governor

 

Rick Jackson is a billionaire healthcare executive. He is the founder and CEO of Jackson Healthcare, an Alpharetta-based company specializing in healthcare staffing and workforce services that generates an estimated $3 billion in annual revenue. [1, 2, 3]

Jackson has spent his career building businesses in the healthcare sector and is currently the Republican nominee in the 2026 Georgia gubernatorial election. [1, 2]

A staffing company owned by GA gubernatorial candidate Rick Jackson recently agreed to a $3 million settlement following allegations that it exploited international immigrant nurses. [1]

The class-action lawsuit, which concluded in a settlement approved in July 2026, thrust Jackson's healthcare empire into the spotlight due to the contrast between his campaign's hardline immigration stance and his company's reliance on foreign labor. [1, 2, 3, 4]

The Lawsuit Against Avant Healthcare Professionals

The 2023 lawsuit was brought against Avant Healthcare Professionals, a company acquired by Jackson Healthcare in 2018. Foreign-born nurses from countries like Jamaica and St. Vincent and the Grenadines alleged the following practices: [1, 2]

• Substandard Wages: Immigrant nurses claimed they were paid significantly less than American professionals hired directly by hospitals. [1]
• "Stay-or-Pay" Contracts: Workers were bound to strict, multi-year contracts that restricted their ability to take time off, switch employers, or advance their careers. [1, 2]
• Deportation Threats: Plaintiffs alleged that when nurses tried to resign, Avant threatened to report them to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). [1]
• Exorbitant Exit Fees: The lawsuit claimed Avant charged five-figure fees to exit contracts early, demanding as much as $41,832 from a single nurse within 30 days. [1, 2]

Resolution and Campaign Context

Avant denied all wrongdoing, stating the court did not find its practices unlawful. However, the company agreed to the $3 million settlement to avoid litigation costs, which will distribute minor payouts to over 5,000 current and former immigrant workers and waive their outstanding contractual fees. [1, 2]

Critics have called attention to the situation because Jackson's gubernatorial platform emphasizes cracking down on illegal immigration. His campaign has defended the business, clarifying that his platform targets criminal illegal immigration, whereas Avant recruits nurses through legal immigration channels to address severe domestic nursing shortages. [1, 2]

Broader Systemic Issues for Immigrant Nurses

Beyond this specific legal case, foreign-educated healthcare workers in the U.S. generally face several systemic barriers:

• Visa Backlogs: Intense administrative delays and a freeze on certain international nurse visas have stalled thousands of qualified applicants.
• Policy Shifts: Federal policy changes regarding workplace immigration enforcement have increased fear among legal direct-care staff, worsening workforce retention.
• Integration Hurdles: Studies show immigrant nurses frequently encounter distinct cultural gaps, language barriers, and workplace discrimination. [1, 2, 3, 4]