Federal Agency Sues Sheetz Over Alleged Racial Discrimination for Criminal Background Checks
Sheetz ran criminal background checks on prospective employees that resulted in racial disparities.
A federal agency filed a lawsuit against convenience store and gas station chain, Sheetz, accusing the company of discriminatory hiring practices that disproportionately affect non-white applicants.
The lawsuit, filed by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) in Baltimore, specifically points to the company’s use of criminal background checks in its hiring process.
Sheetz, which operates over 700 stores across six states, is facing allegations of discrimination against black, Native American, and multiracial job seekers. The EEOC argues that the company’s employment practices violate civil rights laws.
The EEOC’s investigation revealed significant disparities in the outcome of Sheetz’s criminal background check for job applicants, with black applicants facing a denial rate of 14.5%, multiracial applicants at 13.5%, and Native American applicants at 13%. In contrast, only 8% of white applicants were denied employment due to failed criminal background checks.
Responding to the lawsuit, Sheetz emphasized that it “does not tolerate discrimination of any kind.”
“Diversity and inclusion are essential parts of who we are. We take these allegations seriously. We have attempted to work with the EEOC for nearly eight years to find common ground and resolve this dispute,” a spokesperson for the company said in a statement.
While federal officials acknowledge that Sheetz may not have intentionally engaged in racial discrimination, they argue that the outcomes of its criminal background check screenings have resulted in violations of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This federal law prohibits workplace discrimination based on race, sex, religion, and national origin.
“Federal law mandates that employment practices causing a disparate impact because of race or other protected classifications must be shown by the employer to be necessary to ensure the safe and efficient performance of the particular jobs at issue,” said EEOC attorney Debra M. Lawrence.
“Even when such necessity is proven, the practice remains unlawful if there is an alternative practice available that is comparably effective in achieving the employer’s goals but causes less discriminatory effect,” she continued.
2022 FBI data revealed that 5% of violent crimes occurred at either gas stations or convenience stores. In fact, convenience stores are the fourth most likely location where a robbery will take place.
