Tillys: Hiring, Background Check & Employment Verification FAQs

The company began in 1982, when Hezy Shaked and Tilly Levine opened a store called World of Jeans and Tops in Los Alamitos, California. Shaked later renamed the business after Levine, and the Tilly's name stuck as the chain expanded across Southern California and then nationally. The legal entity is Tilly's, Inc., and the brand is styled Tillys in most current marketing. The company is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker TLYS.

Tillys is headquartered in Irvine, California. In its fiscal 2025 fourth quarter results, released in March 2026 for the quarter ended January 31, 2026, the company reported operating 224 total stores across 33 states in addition to its e-commerce site at tillys.com. Store count has moved over recent years as the company has closed underperforming locations and managed its real estate portfolio, so the current figure reflects an actively changing footprint.

The merchandise assortment is aimed at teens and young adults and spans apparel, footwear, accessories, and hardgoods drawn from third-party action sports and streetwear brands alongside proprietary labels. Stores are typically located in regional malls, lifestyle centers, and outdoor shopping centers, and the company runs its own distribution operation to supply both stores and online orders.

The workforce is concentrated in store-level roles: sales associates, cashiers, stock and merchandising associates, key holders, assistant managers, and store managers. Distribution center associates handle receiving, picking, packing, and outbound shipping, and corporate functions in Irvine cover buying and planning, e-commerce, marketing, finance, technology, and human resources. Store staff handle point-of-sale transactions and inventory, and many locations add seasonal help around back-to-school and the holidays.

Company culture and employee programs:

Tillys hires heavily from the customer base it serves, and store roles skew toward part-time schedules with evening and weekend shifts tied to mall hours. Training tends to be on the job, covering point-of-sale systems, visual merchandising standards, and loss prevention basics, with more structured development paths for key holders moving toward assistant manager and manager roles. Employee discounts are a common feature of specialty apparel retail, and benefits eligibility generally depends on position and hours worked. Candidates should confirm scheduling and benefits details with the hiring manager at the specific store.

Yes. Employers in the retail industry, including Tillys, are legally permitted to conduct pre-employment background checks on job candidates, provided they follow applicable federal, state, and local law. In the United States, the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) governs employment screening, requiring clear disclosure, the candidate's written consent, and a defined adverse action process before a hiring decision is made on the basis of a report. California, where Tillys is headquartered and operates many stores, adds its own fair-chance and consumer report requirements.

Tillys is generally reported to conduct background checks as part of its hiring process, which is consistent with how national specialty apparel retailers typically operate. Store employees handle cash and card transactions, open and close locations in key holder roles, and work with inventory that is a frequent target of shrink, and distribution center staff work in secured facilities. The scope of a Tillys background check is not published and may vary by role, by state, and by whether a position carries keys or supervisory responsibility.

The Tillys hiring process for store roles is typically fast. Candidates apply online through the company's careers site or in person at a store, and a store manager reaches out to schedule an interview, sometimes as part of a group hiring event during peak seasons. Interviews are usually conducted on site and focus on availability, customer service style, and familiarity with the brands the store carries. A conditional offer generally precedes any background check, and the candidate signs a disclosure and authorization form at that point. Orientation, system training, and scheduling follow. Corporate and distribution roles usually add a recruiter screen and more interview rounds.

Background check turnaround times vary with the searches an employer orders, how quickly courts and agencies respond, and how many jurisdictions a candidate's history touches. Many reports come back within a few business days, while searches that reach multiple county or state courts can run longer. Candidates who want a clearer picture of typical timelines can review background check turnaround times.

The employer decides which searches are included. For a retail role at a specialty apparel chain like Tillys, a background check may include some or all of the following:

The disclosure paperwork provided during hiring is the definitive list of which searches apply to a specific position.

The lookback period depends on the type of search and the law of the state where the candidate lives or worked. Under the FCRA, consumer reporting agencies generally may not report most negative information older than seven years, with exceptions for certain record types and for positions above a specified salary threshold. Several states apply stricter limits, and a candidate with records in more than one state may see different windows applied to different searches inside the same report.

Tillys does not publish a detailed policy on applicants with felony records, and retail employers generally assess criminal history case by case. Typical considerations include the nature and seriousness of the offense, how much time has passed, evidence of rehabilitation, and whether the record relates to the duties of the role, particularly for positions involving cash or keys. California and many other states where Tillys operates have "ban-the-box" laws that delay criminal history inquiries and require an individualized assessment before a record can be used to withdraw an offer. Applicants should answer honestly and be ready to provide context.

Candidates are typically asked to provide written consent before any background check begins, usually through a disclosure and authorization form supplied during the hiring process. Applicants should be ready to supply accurate personal details, including their full legal name, date of birth, Social Security number, and address history. Accurate information helps ensure searches run in the right jurisdictions and reduces the chance of delays. Candidates applying to distribution center roles may also be asked about equipment certifications where the position involves powered material handling equipment.

The Fair Credit Reporting Act is a federal law that governs how consumer reporting agencies collect, use, and share background check information. It requires employers to get written consent before requesting a report, to provide the candidate with a copy of the report and a summary of rights before taking adverse action based on it, and to give the candidate a chance to dispute inaccurate information before a final decision is made. For a fuller explanation of how the FCRA and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) guidance apply to employment screening, see Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA).

Seasonal and part-time retail hires are generally subject to the same legal framework as full-time hires: an employer that orders a consumer report must provide disclosure, obtain written consent, and follow the adverse action process regardless of how many hours the role carries. That said, employers often calibrate the scope of a report to the responsibilities of the job, so a temporary holiday sales associate may see a narrower set of searches than a key holder or a distribution supervisor. The authorization form a candidate signs will reflect what is actually being run.

Running a personal background check with Checkr lets you preview what Tillys may see and identify potential inaccuracies before they affect your job application. In one secure report you can review:

Start your report at Checkr Personal Background Checks. To present verified credentials proactively, create a free Checkr Profile you can share with recruiters and hiring managers.

You can check your report status any time in the Candidate Portal. The Checkr Help Center has FAQs, dispute steps, and contact options for support.

The resources and information provided here are for educational and informational purposes only and do not constitute legal advice. Always consult your own counsel for up-to-date legal advice and guidance related to your practices, needs, and compliance with applicable laws.