Tops Friendly Markets: Hiring, Background Check & Employment Verification FAQs

Tops traces its roots to a family grocery business in Niagara Falls, New York, and the modern chain dates to 1962, when the Tops Friendly Markets name went up over a group of stores in western New York. The company grew steadily through the following decades and became one of the best known regional grocers in the Northeast. Today it is headquartered in Williamsville, New York, a suburb of Buffalo.

Ownership has changed several times over the company's history. Tops was acquired by the Dutch food retailer Koninklijke Ahold in 1991, then sold to Morgan Stanley Private Equity in December 2007, which returned the chain to independent, locally managed operation. In November 2021, Tops completed a merger with Price Chopper and Market 32, creating a new parent holding company called Northeast Grocery, Inc. Tops continues to operate under its own banner and its own store brand within that structure.

The chain runs roughly 150 supermarkets across New York, Pennsylvania, and Vermont, along with in-store pharmacies, gas stations, and a small number of Tops Xpress convenience locations. It also includes franchised stores in its network. Tops reports more than 14,000 associates and describes itself as the largest private, for-profit employer in western New York. Store-level roles include cashiers, front-end supervisors, grocery and dairy clerks, produce and meat associates, bakery and deli staff, pharmacy technicians and pharmacists, fuel attendants, and store leadership. Beyond the stores, Tops supports distribution, transportation, merchandising, e-commerce fulfillment, and corporate functions.

Company culture and employee programs:

Tops positions itself as a neighborhood grocer with deep local ties, and much of its hiring is drawn from the communities its stores serve. Typical grocery employment includes a mix of full-time and part-time schedules, with evening and weekend coverage common in a business that is open long hours. New associates generally receive on-the-job training for their department, plus food safety and customer service instruction where the role requires it. Pharmacy and fuel positions carry their own licensing or certification requirements. Pay, benefits, and scheduling can vary by store, department, union representation, and whether a position is full-time, so candidates should confirm the specifics with the hiring location.

Yes. Employers in the grocery and food retail industry, including Tops Friendly Markets, are legally permitted to conduct pre-employment background checks on job candidates as long as they follow federal, state, and local law. In the United States, employment screening through a third party is governed by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), which sets rules for candidate disclosure, written authorization, and the adverse action process. New York, Pennsylvania, and Vermont each add state-level requirements that affect what an employer may consider and when it may ask.

Tops Friendly Markets is generally reported to conduct background checks as part of its hiring process, which is consistent with standard practice among large grocery retailers. Supermarket employees handle cash, process payments, work with controlled inventory in pharmacy departments, and interact with the public throughout the day, and those responsibilities are typically reflected in an employer's screening approach. The scope of a Tops background check may vary by role, by department, and by the state where the store is located.

The Tops hiring process generally starts with an online application for a specific store and position. Candidates who move forward are usually contacted by a store manager or department lead for an interview, which may be conducted by phone or in person at the location. Some roles involve a second conversation with a store or district manager. Applicants who receive a conditional offer are typically asked to authorize a background check before a start date is set. Orientation, department training, and any required food safety or pharmacy certifications follow once pre-employment steps are complete. Timelines can differ from store to store, particularly during seasonal hiring pushes.

Turnaround depends on which searches are ordered, how quickly courts and past employers respond, and how many jurisdictions a candidate's history touches. Many reports come back within a few business days, while searches that require manual court record retrieval in several counties can take longer. Verification steps that depend on a third party, such as confirming prior employment, can also add time. Candidates who want a fuller picture of typical timelines can read more about background check turnaround times.

The employer decides which searches to include. For a grocery retail role, a pre-employment background check may cover some or all of the following:

Candidates should read the disclosure and authorization paperwork they receive during hiring, because it describes the searches that will actually be run for their role.

The lookback window depends on the search type and on state law. Under the FCRA, consumer reporting agencies are generally restricted from reporting most adverse information older than seven years, with exceptions that include criminal convictions and positions above a certain salary threshold. Several states narrow this further or limit how non-conviction records may be used. New York, for example, has its own rules on the consideration of criminal history in employment decisions. A candidate with records in more than one state may see different lookback periods applied within a single report.

Tops does not publish a detailed policy on applicants with felony records, and decisions of this kind are typically made case by case. Employers commonly weigh the nature of the offense, how long ago it occurred, evidence of rehabilitation, and how the record relates to the duties of the specific job. Many states and municipalities have adopted "ban-the-box" laws that restrict when an employer may ask about criminal history, often delaying the question until after a conditional offer. Candidates are generally best served by answering application questions accurately and being ready to discuss their history if it comes up.

Applicants are typically asked to sign a standalone disclosure and give written consent before any screening begins. Candidates should expect to provide accurate personal details, including full legal name, date of birth, Social Security number, and a history of the addresses where they have lived. Accurate information matters because it determines which courts and jurisdictions get searched, and small errors are a common cause of delay. Some roles may carry added requirements, such as license verification for pharmacy staff or a driving record review for positions behind the wheel.

The Fair Credit Reporting Act is the federal law that governs how consumer reporting agencies collect, share, and report background check information used for employment. It requires employers to obtain written authorization before ordering a report, to provide a pre-adverse action notice with a copy of the report and a summary of rights if they are considering a negative decision, and to give the candidate a reasonable chance to dispute inaccurate information before a final decision is made. For a fuller explanation of how the FCRA works alongside Equal Employment Opportunity Commission guidance, see Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA).

Pharmacy positions in grocery retail commonly carry additional pre-employment steps beyond a standard retail screening. Because pharmacists and pharmacy technicians work with controlled substances and protected health information, employers in this space typically verify state licensure or registration, may check federal exclusion lists, and often include drug screening. Requirements vary by state board rules and by role, so candidates applying to a Tops pharmacy should confirm the specifics with the hiring manager.

Running a personal background check with Checkr lets you preview what Tops Friendly Markets may see and gives you time to spot potential inaccuracies before they affect your application. In one secure report you can review:

Create your report in minutes at Checkr Personal Background Checks. To share verified credentials with recruiters and hiring managers ahead of time, build a free Checkr Profile.

Check your report status in the Candidate Portal. Or, visit the Checkr Help Center for FAQs, dispute steps, and to contact 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.