The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) filed a lawsuit against Sheetz, Inc., a convenience store company, alleging racial discrimination in their use of criminal background checks for job applicants.
The lawsuit, filed on April 17 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, claims that Sheetz’s screening process disproportionately impacts black, Native American, and multiracial applicants. The EEOC highlights that a higher percentage of black, Native American, and multiracial job seekers were denied employment due to failed background checks compared to white applicants.
While acknowledging that black, Native American, and multiracial Americans are more likely to have criminal backgrounds according to criminal justice statistics, the EEOC argues that Sheetz’s hiring practices violate Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits workplace discrimination based on race.
The EEOC’s lawsuit states that Sheetz’s employment practices causing a disparate impact based on race must be proven necessary for job performance and that alternative practices with less discriminatory effects should be considered. The EEOC initiated the investigation into Sheetz following complaints from two job applicants and proceeded with the lawsuit after failed attempts to resolve the dispute out of court.
Sheetz, with over 23,000 employees and 500 locations across several states, responded to the lawsuit by emphasizing their commitment to diversity and inclusion and expressed efforts to work with the EEOC to address the allegations.
President Biden’s visit to a Sheetz store in Pittsburgh coincided with the lawsuit, following former President Trump’s stop at a Manhattan bodega the day before. Trump’s visit was in support of the store’s clerk, Jose Alba, who was involved in a self-defense incident resulting in a fatal stabbing. Trump criticized Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg for his handling of criminal cases, alleging political motivations behind the charges brought against him.
President Trump’s comments outside the bodega reflected his belief that the legal actions against him were politically driven to hinder his potential return to the campaign trail.
This article includes contributions from The Associated Press.
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