diff --git a/app/models/item.rb b/app/models/item.rb
index 77bcaa73..a57ac3fc 100644
--- a/app/models/item.rb
+++ b/app/models/item.rb
@@ -775,6 +775,13 @@ def primary_unit
     self.primary_collection&.primary_unit
   end
 
+  ##
+  # @return [Boolean] Whether {stage} is set to {Stages#REJECTED}.
+  #
+  def rejected?
+    self.stage == Stages::REJECTED
+  end
+
   ##
   # @return [Bitstream]
   #
diff --git a/test/models/item_test.rb b/test/models/item_test.rb
index 71054e54..4ce72dbe 100644
--- a/test/models/item_test.rb
+++ b/test/models/item_test.rb
@@ -1021,6 +1021,17 @@ class ItemTest < ActiveSupport::TestCase
       count
   end
 
+  # rejected?()
+
+  test "rejected?() returns true when the stage is set to rejected" do
+    @instance.stage = Item::Stages::REJECTED
+    assert @instance.rejected?
+  end
+
+  test "rejected?() returns false when the stage is not set to rejected" do
+    assert !@instance.rejected?
+  end
+
   # representative_bitstream()
 
   test "representative_bitstream() returns the primary bitstream if one exists" do