Equal Employment Opportunity Commission v. Freeman

**EEOC v. Freeman: Background Check Discrimination Case** This case involved the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) suing Freeman, a background check company, over allegations that the company's hiring practices discriminated against African American and Hispanic job applicants. The EEOC claimed that Freeman's use of criminal background checks and credit history screenings had a disproportionate negative impact on minority applicants, effectively screening them out of jobs at higher rates than white applicants. The court dismissed the EEOC's case in 2015. The judge found that the EEOC failed to provide sufficient evidence to prove that Freeman's background check policies actually caused discrimination. The court determined that the EEOC's statistical analysis was flawed and didn't adequately demonstrate that the company's hiring practices violated federal employment discrimination laws. **What This Means for Workers:** This ruling shows how difficult it can be to challenge employer practices that may seem neutral but affect certain groups more heavily. While employers can still use background checks in hiring, workers should know that such practices must be job-related and consistent with business needs. If you believe an employer's screening process unfairly discriminates, documenting the impact and seeking legal guidance remains important, though proving discrimination can be challenging.