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Ban The Box

What Is Ban the Box?

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If you’ve ever applied for a job, you know there’s a lot of paperwork involved. Companies will ask you an array of questions, like “Why do you want to work for us?” and “How do you handle constructive criticism?” And then they’ll dig deeper into your personal life, inquiring about your employment history, your education levels, and unfortunately, whether or not you have a criminal record.

Ban the Box is a campaign that has gained major traction in recent years. The movement is aimed at removing that pesky little checkbox asking if you have a criminal record. The idea is that this box makes it far more difficult for ex-offenders to find a job. The campaign encourages employers to consider a person’s qualifications first to determine if they’re a good fit for a position. It simply wants Americans to be able to freely apply for work without carrying around the stigma of a criminal history.

But Ban the Box does more than just protecting your privacy—it aims to improve society by actually reducing the rate at which Americans re-offend. When people with arrests or convictions are denied a job based on their past, they’re more likely to be stuck in the cycle of poverty. This increases the chances of falling back into criminal misconduct as a way to get by, something that wouldn’t happen if they were allowed the opportunity to make an honest living.

Ban the Box invites individuals to pledge “to always welcome formerly incarcerated people into my community” and “to support changes in policies that discriminate against the formerly incarcerated.” It invites employers to pledge “to hire and support the formerly incarcerated,” “to support the elimination of any restrictions on participation that may exclude the formerly incarcerated,” and “to encourage others to also institute fair hiring practices.” 35 states have adopted Ban the Box or Fair Chance policies in certain counties; this is a major stride for civil rights and gives people with past convictions in those areas a real chance to succeed.

Of course, Ban the Box doesn’t remove your criminal record or make it invisible to background checks. Living with a conviction doesn’t just hurt your job prospects—it can affect many other areas of life and make it hard to live freely. If you think there’s something on your record that is eligible for an expungement, get in touch with Easy Expunctions at 888-524-0280, or sign up for a free background report to get started at EasyExpunctions.com. 

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Ban The Box

Maryland Becomes Latest State to “Ban The Box”

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Maryland has become the most recent state to take a stand against discrimination against those with a criminal history by enacting a ban-the-box law. The ban-the-box law forbids employers from asking potential employees about their criminal records on initial job applications. The new law has just gone into effect and requires all employers with at least 15 full-time employees not to require applicants to disclose their criminal history until the first in-person interview.

This move is a good way to correct for the bias against those in the criminal justice system because it gives reformed criminals and the falsely accused a chance to be seen by employers in a new light. The ban-the-box law surpasses traditional employment and will also be applied to “any work for pay and any form of vocational or educational training, with or without pay.” Although the new law will allow employers to ask for criminal history disclosures during the first interview, it will get rid of that immediate red flag that employers see when an ex-con checks the felony box. This gives reformed criminals a chance to show who they really are and to hopefully win over the employer without the stigma of an unclean criminal record.

There are some exemptions to the new act, including those applying for programs and services that provide direct care to minors and vulnerable adults. Another exemption of the ban-the-box act is that it does not prohibit an employer from doing their own research or taking any other actions that the employer is required or authorized to take under another federal or state law.

This act gives those with criminal histories a chance to make a good first impression without having to wear a figurative scarlet letter on their clothing when initially applying for a job. The Commissioner of Labor and Industry will be enforcing the new act and will even fine those who don’t comply with a civil penalty of up to $300.

If you currently reside in a state that has not adopted a ban-the-box act, be sure to visit www.easyexpunctions.com. We work directly with you in an effort to shed light on all of your charges and clear those that qualify. Head over to Easy Expunctions online and get started with a free record check so you know exactly what is currently visible to potential employers!

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Ban The Box

St. Louis Enacts Ban-The-Box Ordinance

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St. Louis has become the latest city to enact a ban-the-box ordinance in an effort to advocate for the rights of ex-offenders.

The ordinance prevents the city of St. Louis employers from asking about criminal history on job applications or posting job ads that exclude applicants with a criminal record in the first place. They can no longer ask about or investigate a potential employee’s criminal history until after someone has been interviewed. So while they can still eventually discover past criminal information, they can’t begin their employee search by automatically disqualifying applicants who have criminal records. It essentially delays the criminal background check—They have to ask for this information towards the end of the hiring process when they’ve taken into account other factors besides criminal history.

So, while St. Louis employers can ultimately base hiring decisions on criminal history information, they can only do so when they can prove their decision is “based on all information available including the frequency, recentness and severity of the criminal history and the history is reasonably related to or bears upon the duties and responsibilities of the job position.”

Ordinances like these are productive on an individual level, but can also slowly begin to shift society’s views and reduce the stigma around a criminal record. If employers truly get to know an applicant and focus on their skills first, more opportunities are given to people who truly need a second chance.

The ordinance does not apply to certain federal and state positions where prior laws would prevent someone with a criminal record from being hired. It will take effect on January 1st, 2021.

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The Fair Chance Act Is on Its Way to the President

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The Ban the Box bill, also known as the Fair Chance Act, is a rapidly growing nationwide movement that would greatly improve job opportunities for individuals with a criminal record. The bill would remove any inquiry into an applicant’s criminal history on initial job applications, giving ex-offenders a better chance to find employment. The passing of this law would prevent the federal government and federal contractors from requesting criminal history information until they reach the conditional offer stage, which would give ex-offenders a chance to demonstrate their skills and qualifications before being written off completely.

The National Employment Law Project (NELP) reported that 35 states and over 150 cities and counties have adopted Ban the Box laws as of December 2019. On December 11, the Fair Chance Act passed in the House of Representatives and was sent to the Senate for consideration. The bill was passed by the Senate on December 17, and it’s now making its way to the President’s desk. If President Trump signs the bill, thousands of qualified individuals will have greater opportunities to contribute to their community, the economy, and life beyond prison walls.

A criminal record is a significant barrier to employment, reducing the chance of a callback by nearly 50% for men overall, and 60% for black men. The Fair Chance Act will require the Bureau of Justice Statistics to coordinate with the U.S. Census Bureau and issue a report on the employment statistics for formerly incarcerated individuals, which would help ensure the improvement of job opportunities for ex-offenders. The Ban the Box bill encourages employers to look beyond a criminal past when assessing an individual’s qualifications, but more importantly, it allows people to be defined by their character, not their conviction.

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