NY Attorney General settles with Bed Bath & Beyond over illegal hiring practices
Bed Bath & Beyond, which operates more than 1,000 stores nationally and 62 in New York, has agreed to pay $40,000 in restitution to applicants unlawfully denied employment because their hiring restrictions went beyond the scope of the law.
The settlement stems from Bed Bath & Beyond representatives telling applicants at a job fair that the company would not hire anyone with a past felony conviction. Apparently, the retailer did not know it is illegal in the state of New York (and many other states) to automatically disqualify a candidate with a criminal background.
New York law requires employers to review an applicant’s history before making a hiring decision, including whether past convictions have any bearing on the job at hand, how long ago the crime was committed and evidence of rehabilitation.
The retailer will also pay $15,000 each to The Center for Employment Opportunities, The Doe Fund, and The Osborne Association, all of which help ex-convicts get back into the workplace.
This is another reminder to employers to know the laws applicable to the states that they hire in.
For an up-to-date Ban the Box chart, please visit www.carcogroup.com.
