Were You Denied a Job at Sheetz Due to a Criminal Background Check?

If you live in Pennsylvania, identify as Black or non-white, and Sheetz denied you a job based on information in a background check, you may have legal rights worth exploring.

About This Investigation

Outten & Golden is investigating claims that Sheetz may have unlawfully denied employment opportunities to job applicants based on criminal background check information.

Federal and state laws may restrict how employers use criminal history information in the hiring process. In some circumstances, background check policies may have an unlawful discriminatory impact on applicants.

We are currently involved in ongoing litigation against Sheetz relating to criminal background screening practices and are reviewing additional claims from other individuals who may have been similarly affected.

We are reviewing potential claims involving:

  • Black and other non-white applicants who applied for positions at Sheetz in Pennsylvania
  • Applicants who were denied employment based on information revealed in a criminal background check
  • Potential discrimination related to criminal history screening practices
  • Potential violations of civil rights and employment laws

If Sheetz denied you a job after reviewing your criminal background information, and you identify as Black or non-white, we encourage you to learn more about your rights.

Reach out today for a free and confidential consultation.

Understanding Your Rights

Criminal background checks do not automatically disqualify someone from employment. Depending on the circumstances, applicants may have legal rights if they were:

  • Denied employment because of criminal history information
  • Not given a meaningful opportunity to explain or challenge background check information
  • Subjected to hiring practices that resulted in unlawful discrimination

Ongoing Litigation Against Sheetz

Outten & Golden is involved in an ongoing case against Sheetz that was spotlighted in a July 2026 article in the New York Times. It discusses Kenni Miller, who had been working at a Sheetz store in 2020 when the company rescinded his job offer after a background check revealed a nonviolent drug conviction from his teenage years.

In the article, Outten & Golden partner Pooja Shethji said job applicants with criminal records should be judged on their merits, not their past: “That’s exactly what Mr. Miller wants — to be judged by the work, and his qualifications.”

Our Experience Fighting Criminal History Discrimination

Outten & Golden has recovered more than $20 million for individuals impacted by criminal history discrimination and helped secure changes that expanded job opportunities for workers across the country. Notable matters include:

  • Secured a $15 million settlement for more than 450,000 workers in Gonzalez v. Pritzker, a case that challenged the U.S. Census Bureau’s background check policy.
  • Representing plaintiffs in Mandala v. NTT Data, a class action that challenges NTT’s use of criminal records to deny jobs to qualified Black applicants.
  • Secured $3.6 million for job applicants who challenged a regional transportation authority’s use of criminal background checks.
  • Secured $1.5 million for job applicants who were unfairly denied employment by one of the country’s largest sports and entertainment venues, resulting in changes to hiring and background check practices.
  • Secured $3.3 million for 1,700+ workers in Aguilera v. Uber Eats, a lawsuit involving alleged violations of New York City’s Fair Chance Act, which makes it illegal for most employers to consider an applicant’s criminal history before making a job offer.

Read more about our efforts to represent workers in this area:

Why Outten & Golden

For more than three decades, Outten & Golden has been one of the country's most respected advocates for employees — from front-line workers to C-suite executives — in matters against the nation's largest and most powerful employers.

$1.3B
Recovered for employees
500+
Class action cases prosecuted, many against major tech companies
$320M
Secured for victims of pay discrimination
140
Attorneys and professionals, united by one mission
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