Tompkins County NY Votes to Ban the Box on Job Applications

Written By ESR News Blog Editor Thomas Ahearn

In July of 2016, legislators in Tompkins County, New York unanimously voted to Ban the Box and remove the criminal conviction question from job applications and leave such inquiries for later in the hiring process after a conditional job offer is made by employers, according to a story in the Ithaca Journal.

The Ithaca Journal reports the Ban the Box resolution will remove the criminal history check box from automated job applications and will establish a “post-interview, pre-hire procedure” where applicants will sign an attestation form regarding criminal records to be sent to the county personnel department.

The Ithaca Journal also reports Cornell University – a private Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, the seat of Tompkins County – adopted a Ban the Box policy that took effect June 30, 2016. All staff, union, librarian, and temporary positions at Cornell will be impacted by the Ban the Box policy.

Both Ban the Box policies for Tompkins County and Cornell University do not apply to all positions and do not prevent employers or school officials from eventually asking questions about the criminal history of applicants. Police officers, Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs), and paramedics will be exempt.

New York state law prohibits employers from discriminating against individuals with criminal records unless they are legally prohibited from holding a job. The full story from the Ithaca Journal is available at www.ithacajournal.com/story/news/local/2016/07/06/tompkins-county-moves-ban-box/83330608/.

More Ban the Box Information from ESR

The Ban the Box movement is spreading fast. More than 100 cities and counties as well as 20 states have Ban the Box legislation. Employment Screening Resources® (ESR) offers employers a Ban the Box Information Page with news, legal updates, and resources at www.esrcheck.com/Ban-the-Box/.

NOTE: Employment Screening Resources® (ESR) does not provide or offer legal services or legal advice of any kind or nature. Any information on this website is for educational purposes only.

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