ALTOONA, Pa. (WTAJ) — Sheetz is making headlines after it was revealed that they may be using a person’s bad teeth to decline employment based on a policy in their handbook.
The unusual policy is tucked away in the company’s employee handbook, according to Business Insider, which obtained a written version of the policy.
The report shows that Sheetz’s employee handbook says applicants with “obvious missing, broken, or badly discolored teeth (unrelated to a disability) are not qualified for employment with Sheetz.”
As for current employees, the handbook reads that they have 90 days to solve the issue.
The policy is reportedly under review after Insider’s inquiry with the company.
Sheetz responded, saying that the company was reviewing the policy, which is decades old.
“When Bob Sheetz founded Sheetz in 1952, he built a company based on community and taking care of people. We’re a company who cares. We care about our employees, we care about our customers and we care about the communities we serve,” Nick Ruffner, a public relations manager from Sheetz said in a statement.
While the company touts its benefits and that it’ll provide financial assistance if necessary, it also said that throughout the history of Sheetz, they have embraced an appearance policy, saying they know how important a smile is to the customer experience.
You can read the full, unedited response from Sheetz below.
“When Bob Sheetz founded Sheetz in 1952, he built a company based on community and taking care of people. We’re a company who cares, we care about our employees, we care about our customers and we care about the communities we serve. As a family-owned and operated company, our employees and communities are the core of Sheetz. If someone is struggling, we’re there to help with paid time off, flexibility and more. When someone has a baby, we’re there to foster that precious time with 12 weeks of fully paid time off. If someone is sick or needs dental care, we’re proud of our benefits but, if necessary, will provide financial assistance as well.
Throughout our history to date we have embraced an appearance policy, because we know how important a smile is to the customer experience when serving hospitality. However, we are always reviewing our standing policies to make sure they best deliver on our values and our commitment to our customers and employees. Therefore, this appearance policy will continue to be under review.
We have always strived to treat our employees as our most valuable asset, because at Sheetz, we believe they are.”
