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by John R. Merinar, Jr. The West Virginia Second Chance for Employment Act, which is aimed at encouraging employers to open the doors of opportunity to certain nonviolent criminal offenders, will become law on July 7. The new law will allow individuals with certain criminal convictions the opportunity to petition the courts to change their […]
by Kaitlin L.H. Robidoux The White House is urging businesses to take the Fair Chance Business Pledge and commit to providing individuals with criminal records “a fair chance to participate in the American economy.” The idea behind the initiative is that individuals with a criminal history have trouble finding employment, and many communities are hurt […]
Employers in Portland, Oregon, need to be ready for the city’s new “ban the box” ordinance, which takes effect July 1. The state of Oregon’s ban-the-box law took effect January 1, but Portland’s ordinance goes further than the state law. Portland’s ordinance applies to businesses that (1) employ six or more employees and (2) have […]
Tennessee has joined the list of states passing some form of “ban the box” legislation with the passage of Senate Bill 2440. Governor Bill Haslam signed the measure on April 14. Many states, counties, and cities across the country have joined the ban-the-box movement by prohibiting job applications that require applicants to check a box […]
by Leigh Anne Benedic Ohio’s new ban-the-box law prohibiting public-sector employers from asking job applicants about criminal convictions early in the hiring process will take effect on March 23. The law doesn’t apply to private-sector employers, but when it takes effect, state agencies and political subdivisions will be prohibited from including questions about a job […]
by Brittany E. McCabe A more far-reaching version of Philadelphia’s ban-the-box law covering all employers in the city is set to take effect March 14. On December 15, 2015, Mayor Michael Nutter signed an amended version of the city’s 2011 law that limits when employers can inquire about job applicants’ criminal background. Key changes include: […]
Oregon’s new “ban the box” law takes effect January 1, meaning employers will be prohibited from asking applicants to check a box inquiring about criminal history on employment applications. The new law makes it unlawful to exclude an applicant from an initial interview solely because of a past criminal conviction. An applicant is unlawfully excluded […]
by Tara Z. Hall While not a true “ban the box” measure, a new Iowa law taking effect January 1 will allow exonerated individuals to keep past criminal charges from becoming known to potential employers. The measure, signed into law last spring, sets up a process for individuals who have been wrongfully accused of a […]
President Barack Obama’s plan to issue a “ban the box” Executive Order may not directly affect nonfederal government employers, but it continues a movement in both the public and private sectors against considering criminal history early in the hiring process. A White House fact sheet issued November 2, the same day Obama traveled to New […]
by Tara Eberline Individuals from Sister Helen Prejean, author of Dead Man Walking, to former President Bill Clinton have contended that people are more than the worst thing they have ever done. It is a sentiment that many people desire—at least when viewing their own foibles. And now some employers across the country are using […]