The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission [EEOC] filed lawsuits Tuesday against discount retailer Dollar General Corp. and a BMW manufacturing plant in South Carolina over their use of criminal background checks to screen out job applicants or fire employees. In both cases, the agency claims the practice discriminates against African-Americans, who have higher arrest and conviction rates than whites…The commission says it wants to reduce barriers to employment for those with past criminal records who “have been held accountable and paid their dues.”…The new EEOC guidelines issued last year urge employers to give job applicants a chance to explain past criminal misconduct before they are rejected. It also recommends that employers stop asking about past convictions on job applications. Some employers see the checks as a way to weed out unsavory workers and prevent negligent hiring claims.