On June 14, 2019, an amendment of New Mexico’s “Ban the Box” law went into effect prohibiting private employers from using job applications that contain questions about an applicant’s criminal arrest or conviction history. This seemingly slight change to the application process is meaningful. Revealing a criminal history on an initial job application often results Read more
This September, Colorado will become the 13th state to “Ban the Box,” referring to the question found on standard job applications which would require the applicant to disclose whether they have ever been convicted of a criminal offense. The Colorado Chance to Compete Act (HB 1025) prohibits private employers from: stating in ads or on Read more
Last month, our blog showcased several Washington State laws going into effect on June 7, 2018, protecting workers’ rights related to equal pay, domestic violence, and sexual harassment. In this post, we wrap up our coverage of Washington’s 2018 legislative term with the Washington State Fair Chance Act also going into effect in June. The Read more
On November 6, 2017, Arizona Governor Doug Ducey signed an executive order to “ban the box” on job applications for state agencies. This brings the state’s hiring policies in line with those of the federal government, which finalized fair chance regulations in 2016, as well as several of its own cities. In 2015, Tucson became Read more
Criminal History Assessment Last January, employers in Los Angeles, CA, were required to post a new notice in the workplace informing employees of the City’s recent “ban the box” law. The “ban the box” law refers to the City’s Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance which prohibits employers with 10 or more employees from asking Read more
The City of Los Angeles is joining a growing list of cities and states to “ban the box” by removing questions about job applicants’ criminal histories from job applications. The recently adopted “Fair Chance Initiative” (the “Ordinance”) will prohibit Los Angeles employers from inquiring about an applicant’s criminal history or from performing any form of Read more
Vermont is the latest state to adopt what is known as a “ban the box” law. The name comes from the conviction history check-box found on standard employment applications. Also known as “fair chance” laws, these laws limit when an employer may permissibly ask about a job applicant’s criminal history during the application process. The Read more
Beginning January 1, 2016, Oregon employees will have new protections and their employers will have new legal responsibilities. Following a busy legislative year, the following are some of the new laws taking effect this January that affect Oregon workplaces: Statewide Mandatory Paid Sick Leave – Effective January 1, 2016, Oregon employers with 10 or more Read more
State Ban-the-Box Laws Each year employers must navigate an ever-growing field of labor and employment-related laws to ensure compliance. In recent years, the presence of statewide “ban-the-box” legislation has grown significantly. These “fair chance” laws provide applicants a fair chance at being considered for a job by prohibiting questions about the applicant’s conviction history on Read more
Georgia’s Governor Nathan Deal has signed an executive order on February 23, 2015, implementing a “ban the box” hiring policy. Similar to the policies adopted by other states across the country, Georgia’s policy was implemented to provide individuals with a criminal record a fair chance to apply to job positions. Under the policy, job applicants Read more
