Employer in deep Sheetz over criminal history check

A large convenience store chain recently learned about the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s (EEOC) intention to challenge how employers use arrest and conviction records to make hiring decisions.

Criminal history check required of all applicants

Sheetz is a regional convenience store chain based in Pennsylvania that operates more than 600 locations and employs approximately 23,000 workers across six states. As part of its hiring process, the company inquires into an applicant’s criminal history—regardless of the position for which they are applying—through a series of questions on the job application, followed up with a criminal background check.

If the Sheetz representative who is responsible for evaluating an applicant’s criminal history determines they “failed,” then the applicant isn’t hired. The EEOC claims Sheetz job candidates were frequently rejected on this basis. According to a 2022 Rand Corporation study, more than half of unemployed men in their 30’s has a criminal history that limits their ability to find work.

EEOC’s lawsuit

After failing to reach an agreement with Sheetz over its companywide practice, the EEOC recently filed a lawsuit in federal court against the employer for screening job applicants and denying employment based on a conviction record.