Employment Law Alert: San Francisco’s Ban the Box Ordinance
Effective August 13, 2014, San Francisco’s Fair Chance Ordinance prohibits employers from asking about a job applicant’s criminal history, including inquiries on an employment application form. This prohibition, often called a “ban the box” provision, applies to private employers, city contractors, and subcontractors with 20 or more employees. Covered employers may ask about an applicant’s criminal history after the first live interview (in person or via telephone or other technology) or after a conditional job offer. A notice describing the protections provided under the ordinance will be developed by the city’s Office of Labor Standards Enforcement (OLSE). Employers are required to post the notice and to send a copy to any labor union with which they have a collective bargaining agreement.