The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has filed a lawsuit accusing Sheetz Inc. of racial discrimination because it performs background checks on prospective employees.
EEOC says Sheetz denies people employment at any of its stores based on their background checks.
This apparently qualifies as a racial discrimination case because EEOC says background checks disproportionately discriminate against blacks, Native Americans, and multiracial applicants. However, EEOC does not make any mention if Sheetz has the same practice for white applicants.
This is one of those cases where the reason for filing the lawsuit appears to be more racist than the racist behavior the accused is accused of practicing.
However, EEOC says its lawsuit “does not allege that Sheetz was motivated by race when making hiring decisions.”
“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,” EEOC Regional Attorney Debra M. Lawrence says in a statement announcing the lawsuit. “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.”
The EEOC and Sheetz have already attempted to reach a settlement before this lawsuit was file but those talks broke apart without a deal.
This lawsuit was filed in the US District Court of the District of Maryland, Northern Division.
Sheetz operates more than 600 stores in 6 states. There are currently 2 Sheetz stores here in Schuylkill County.
Subscribe to Coal Region Canary
Get email updates from Coal Region Canary by becoming a subscriber today. Just enter your email address below to get started!Support Coal Region Canary
Like our reporting and want to support truly local news in Schuylkill County? Your small donations help. For as little as $5, your contribution will allow us to cover more news that directly affects you. Consider donating today by hitting the big yellow button below ...
James EISENHART
April 22, 2024 at 8:20 am
Sadly more of that ESG-DEI BS. I will accuse SHeetz of discriminating against Northern Schuylkill,eastern Northumberland county for not building stores up here,but there a GREAT American comp,and this is just another DEI GRIFT
Coalregion12
April 22, 2024 at 9:07 am
So performing background checks is now deemed discriminatory?
Unbelievable
Abby
April 22, 2024 at 9:52 am
Well then they need to filed lawsuits over every company that uses background checks which is probably every company in the country. I think an attorney should file a racism lawsuit against the EEOC because what they’re doing is racist. Affirmative Action was repealed because it was racist so they made DEI the new racism rule.
PTFloridian
April 22, 2024 at 6:53 pm
African American folks are about 13% of our population, but the race baiters want all black everything… The math or the policy push doesn’t add up.