Tag: criminal records

criminal record

Illinois Bias Law Now Covers Criminal Convictions

Illinois employers now have yet another law to navigate. The state human rights statute now bans discrimination based on a candidate’s or employee’s criminal conviction unless the employer can show a “substantial relationship” exists between the conviction and the job or that the employment would involve an “unreasonable risk” to property or safety. Conviction Records […]

background

Ban the Box Laws and Second Chance Programs that Help Ex-Offenders Find Work Are Spreading Fast

Ban the box laws and Second Chance programs that help ex-offenders in the United States are spreading fast across the country. The National Employment Law Project (NELP) estimates that approximately 70 million people in America—or nearly one in three U.S. adults—have some type of criminal record that may hinder employment opportunities.

ban the box

Ban the Box Now: More the Rule than Exception when Screening

Ban the box laws that remove the box on applications that job applicants are asked to check if they have a criminal record are now more the rule than the exception for Human Resources professionals when screening applicants. As of March 2018, 30 states and more than 150 cities and counties have ban the box […]

Iowa expunged records law takes effect January 1

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 […]

New executive order expands ‘ban the box’ trend

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 […]

New laws affecting Illinois employers take effect January 1

by Steven L. Brenneman Illinois employers need to be aware of a few new laws taking effect January 1. Ban the box One of the new laws, the Job Opportunities for Qualified Applicants Act, prohibits most private-sector employers and employment agencies with 15 or more employees from asking applicants about their criminal histories and conducting […]

New Jersey joins states with ‘ban the box’ laws

by Jeffrey A. Gruen New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has signed the state’s “ban the box” legislation, meaning that most employers will be prohibited from asking applicants about their criminal histories until the conclusion of the first job interview. The legislature passed the Opportunity to Compete Act in June, and Christie signed it on August […]

San Francisco ‘ban the box’ ordinance starts August 13

by Andrew J. Sommer and Alka Ramchandani San Francisco’s new “ban the box” law, titled the Fair Chance Ordinance, will limit the timing and scope of inquiries into an applicant’s or employee’s criminal history when it takes effect August 13. In addition to banning inquiries into criminal history on job applications, the ordinance also places […]