T
he EEOC’s retreat from disparate-impact enforcement now reaches criminal background checks. Employers considering changes to their screening procedures will need to look beyond the agency’s announ
ceme
nt. TL;DR: The EEOC rescinded its 2012 criminal-records guidance, effective immediately, against the backdrop of the administration’s opposition to disparate-impact liability. The change signals a different federal enforcement approach. It does not change federal anti-discrimination law or eliminate separate state, local, and federal background-check requi
r
ements.
