Macy's Criminal History Discrimination

Were you denied a job because of a background check?

Does this apply to you?

On Wednesday, June 26, 2019, Outten and Golden LLP, along with the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. and Youth Represents, filed a class action lawsuit against Macy’s, Inc., owner and operator of hundreds of retail stores (collectively “Macy’s”), challenging its use of an overbroad and unnecessarily punitive criminal history screen in making hiring and termination decisions.  Plaintiff The Fortune Society (“Fortune”) brings the lawsuit on behalf of itself and its participants seeking to hold Macy’s accountable for violations of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (“Title VII”) and the New York City Human Rights Law (“NYCHRL”).

Founded in 1967, The Fortune Society is a nonprofit community-based organization with a mission to support the successful community reentry of individuals involved with the criminal justice system.  Through an array of critical programming, Fortune provides much needed reentry-related services—including job training and placement services—to approximately 6,500 people each year.

On May 15, 2017, Outten & Golden LLP filed a Charge with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) on behalf of Fortune against Macy’s, alleging that the retailer’s criminal background check policies and practices used to screen job applicants and employees violate Title VII and the NYCHRL.  On April 2, 2019, the EEOC issued Fortune a Notice of Right to Sue.       

On September 3, 2020, Judge Ronnie Abrams of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York granted Plaintiffs’ motion to preliminarily approve a settlement requiring Macy’s to reform its background check practices and pay $1.8 million in monetary class relief.

Outten & Golden is dedicated to representing employees to protect their rights against injustices in the workplace.  Our legal team is committed to advancing the rights of individuals with criminal records who seek gainful employment.

Frequently Asked Questions

In general, an employer can require a background check as a condition of employment. However, the employer must first get your signed written authorization, and otherwise follow the procedures set out in the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). Moreover, what your employer can ask you may be limited by state law. Do you have more questions? Contact us here.
In general, employers should not be denying employment because of a criminal conviction without performing an individualized inquiry. Under the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) guidelines, employers should look at factors like the nature and gravity of the offense, the time since the offense, and the nature of the job, and should only exclude an applicant because of his or her criminal record if there is a “business justification.” This is because the exclusions may operate to disproportionately and unjustifiably exclude people of a particular race or national origin (or other protected category) in which case it would violate Title VII of the Civil Right Act of 1964. Under New York State and City law, it is illegal to deny employment because of a criminal conviction without considering the eight factors laid out in the New York Correction Law. Many other states also have restrictions on the use of criminal convictions in hiring. Do you have more questions? Contact us here.
As a general matter, employers should not be using arrests that did not lead to a conviction as a basis to deny employment. Under the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), guidelines, employers should not exclude people based upon arrests that did not lead to conviction unless there is a “business justification.” Under New York State and City law, it is illegal to deny employment because of an arrest if it is not currently pending, and was terminated in your favor, unless the denial is specifically required or permitted by other laws. Many other states including California, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Utah, and Wisconsin also have restrictions on the use of arrest records in hiring. Do you have more questions? Contact us here.
No. If you authorized a background check, the prospective employer must provide you with a copy of that background check before making a decision about whether to hire you. The prospective employer must also provide you with a reasonable amount of time to contest the information on the background check report before making a decision about whether to hire you. Do you have more questions? Contact us here.
Under Title VII, you must first file a charge with the Equal Employment Opportunities Commission (EEOC) before filing a lawsuit. In New York, you have 300 days from the adverse action to file a charge, but in other states your time to file may be only 180 days. Under the New York State Human Rights Law and New York City Human Rights Law, you have three years from the adverse action to file an action. Do you have more questions? Contact us here.

If this lawsuit effects you, contact us for a consultation.

Contact Us