California filed a lawsuit against Kroger Co subsidiary Ralph's Grocery Co on Thursday, accusing it of violating state law by screening out hundreds of job applicants based on their criminal history. The lawsuit, filed in state court by the California Civil Rights Department (CRD), accuses Ralph's of flouting a 2018 law that bars most employers from asking applicants about their criminal record prior to offering them a job. Ralph's, which operates more than 180 grocery stores in California, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.