“Ban the Box.” The movement keeps growing. If you have visited our blog and website, you know that we’ve blogged, written newsletter articles and client alerts on the subject. Earlier this month we posted a blog informing you that California’s state-wide public-sector law went into effect on July 1, and in a client alert posted last week, we informed employers that a New Jersey bill was approved by the legislature and was sent to the governor to be signed.

Here is additional “ban the box” legislation being considered around the country, according to an article on govexec.com:

  • Los Angeles city council is considering legislation that would go beyond the new California law and would affect private sector employers;
  • Washington D.C.’s city council passed the Fair Criminal Record Screening Act of 2014, which if signed by the Mayor, would mandate that private employers in the District remove questions about criminal history from employment applications;
  • Roanoke, Virginia and Columbia, Missouri are also both considering “ban the box” legislation.

It’s apparent that the trend is not localized to any particular region in the country, and that it is expanding. So far 12 states have put state-wide laws into place, and over 60 cities and counties have enacted legislation, spanning the country (visit NELP for more information). The movement began by affecting mostly public sector employers, but much of the recent legislation affects the private sector as well.

Employers, be familiar with any local and state “ban the box” laws and make sure your hiring practices comply. Check your applications and the processes you have in place. And if you have questions, please contact a Corporate Screening account representative for more information. We are always happy to help.