Oil Companies Accused of Excluding Some Ex-Convicts From Jobs

Several prominent oil refinery businesses and their background check service providers are facing a new California lawsuit for allegedly blocking job candidates with certain convictions from employment opportunities.

Phillips 66 Co., Air Products & Chemicals Inc., and JCL Safety Services use a shared rating system that screens out otherwise qualified applicants solely on the basis of their criminal histories, which have no adverse relationship with the jobs they applied for, according to the complaint filed Aug. 8 in Los Angeles Superior Court.

This practice, which doesn’t involve an individualized assessment of applicants’ qualifications, history, and circumstances, disproportionately impacts ...