Biden admin sues Sheetz over ‘discriminatory’ hiring practices just days after botched photo op at PA gas station

In a press release, the EEOC said that the chain's long-standing practice of using criminal conviction records to screen and deny applicants was a violation of Title VII's prohibition on "disparate impact discrimination."

However, the EEOC did not claim that the convenience store chain "was motivated by race when making hiring decisions."

EEOC Regional Attorney Debra M. Lawrence claimed, "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."

"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 added.

Director of the EEOC Philadelphia District Office, Jamie R. Williamson highlighted that April is "Second Chance Month," and noted that the "EEOC is dedicated to making sure that individuals with criminal records are not unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities because of race.”

Sheetz is a chain of nearly 600 convenience stores that operates in six states, and the suit comes just one day after President Biden made a stop to one while campaigning in Pennsylvania.

In a video posted on X, the president walked to the counter to very little fanfare. He took a picture with members of the staff, then left after taking one question from a reporter who asked if he was concerned tariffs would cause issues with Chinese President Xi Jinping, to which he responded, "Don't jump" on his way out the door.

In a statement to the Associated Press, Sheetz spokesman Nick Ruffner said the chain "does not tolerate discrimination of any kind." He added, "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."