The Background Check Authority ®
Written By ESR News Blog Editor Thomas Ahearn
The Indiana General Assembly has passed legislation – Senate Bill 312 (SB 312) – to prohibit “political subdivisions” in the state such as counties, municipalities, and townships from passing “Ban the Box” laws that prevent employers from obtaining or using the criminal history information of job applicants during the hiring process to the extent allowed by federal or state laws and regulations. SB 312 takes effect July 1, 2017. Continue reading
Written By ESR News Blog Editor Thomas Ahearn
On May 5, 2017, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf announced that a Fair Chance Hiring Policy for state agencies will “Ban the Box” and remove criminal history questions from non-civil service employment applications for agencies under his jurisdiction, according to a news story on the Governor’s website. Continue reading
Written By ESR News Blog Editor Thomas Ahearn
The state of Utah has joined the so-called “Ban the Box” movement to delay any questions by government employers about the criminal records of job applicants applying for state employment in order to give ex-offenders a fair chance to find work after release from prison, according to a report by the U.S. News & World Report. (UPDATE: The Indiana General Assembly has passed Indiana Senate Bill 312 that prohibits local governments in Indiana from adopting “Ban the Box” ordinances that interfere with an employer’s ability to obtain or use criminal history information during the hiring process to the extent allowed by state or federal law. Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb has said he will sign the bill, which takes effect on July 1, 2017.) Continue reading
Written By ESR News Blog Editor Thomas Ahearn
The City of Los Angeles Bureau of Contract Administration (BCA) is offering resources for a “Ban the Box” law called the Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance (FCIHO) that restricts inquiry by employers into the criminal records of job applicants until after they make a conditional offer of employment. The Ban the Box law took effect on January 22, 2017, and will begin being enforced on July 1, 2017. Continue reading
Written By ESR News Blog Editor Thomas Ahearn
A bipartisan group of U.S. senators and representatives have introduced “Ban the Box” legislation – the Fair Chance Act (S.842/H.R.1905) and the REDEEM Act (S.827/H.R.1906) – to ensure that job seekers who have a conviction record in their past are not unfairly shut out from federal employment and considered on their qualifications like other applicants, according to a news release from the National Employment Law Project (NELP). Continue reading
Written By ESR News Blog Editor Thomas Ahearn
Employment Screening Resources® (ESR), a global provider of background checks located in California, has issued a City of Los Angeles Ban the Box Ordinance Infographic that outlines employment requirements and impact of the Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance (FCIHO) that took effect January 22, 2017. The infographic is available at www.esrcheck.com/Los-Angeles-Ban-the-Box-Ordinance/index.php. Continue reading
Written By ESR News Blog Editor Thomas Ahearn
Legislation introduced in California in February 2017 – Assembly Bill No. 1008 – would “Ban the Box” and prohibit employers in the state from including any question about an applicant’s criminal record on job applications or inquire into the conviction history of an applicant until that applicant has received a conditional offer. In addition, when conducting a criminal background check, the bill prohibits employers from considering, distributing, or disseminating specified information related to prior convictions. Continue reading
Written By ESR News Blog Editor Thomas Ahearn
A research report released by the nonprofit Urban Institute in February 2017 – ‘Ban the Box and Racial Discrimination: A Review of the Evidence and Policy Recommendations’ – suggests “Ban the Box” policies that remove questions on job applications requiring applicants to disclose their criminal history may be improved with policy additions to support equal employment opportunity laws that help prevent racial discrimination. Continue reading
Written By ESR News Blog Editor Thomas Ahearn
The Los Angeles Department of Public Works (DPW) Bureau of Contract Administration (BCA) has issued an Individualized Assessment and Reassessment Form to help employers comply with the Ban the Box law called the Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance (FCIHO) that took effect January 22, 2017. Continue reading
Written By ESR News Blog Editor Thomas Ahearn
On February 13, 2017, the Albany County (NY) Legislature voted 32 to 3 to approve “Local Law N” to Ban the Box and remove the check box on county job applications that applicants are asked to check if they have a criminal record, according to a report on the WAMC/Northeast Public Radio website. Continue reading
