Macy’s Hit With Class Lawsuit Over Criminal History Checks (1)

Macy’s Inc. illegally rejects job applicants, revokes job offers, and terminates employment based on old, minor, and unrelated criminal histories, a class action filed June 26 alleges.

The retailer’s policies and practices “reinforce the racial discrimination present in the criminal justice system and result in unjustified racial disparities in employment opportunities,” it says.

The complaint alleges violations of civil rights laws barring disparate impact discrimination, which focuses on neutral employment policies that have a disproportionately negative effect on workers based on race or other protected characteristics. It also says Macy’s violated the Fair Credit Reporting Act’s protections against using criminal ...