Growing concern for how employers are making hiring and employment decisions based upon an individual’s criminal history. The possibility of criminals becoming a protected class is not as far off as you think.  If your employment application has “the box” that inquires whether the individual has been convicted of a crime, you may need to remove it.  Various states across the U.S. have approved to have “the box” removed from the employment application and process as well as some cities and counties within states that have not yet banned the box.

Why is this such a big deal? Growing concern for how employers are making hiring and employment decisions based upon an individual’s criminal history. The possibility of criminals becoming a protected class is not as far off as you think.

Currently, 13 states have passed ban-the-box laws: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico and Rhode Island.

 

States with cities and counties that have banned the box include: Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin.