Background checks in the workplace are no longer exclusive to potential new hires. According to Bloomberg, the screening industry has seen recent explosive growth in background checks for existing workers. In light of the ongoing #MeToo movement which spread virally last year demonstrating the widespread prevalence of sexual assault and harassment, especially in the workplace…
Currently, more than 150 cities and counties nationwide as well as 32 states have passed ban-the-box legislation, delaying questions about the criminal records of job applicants until later in the hiring process. Of those states, eleven have required the removal of criminal history questions from job applications for private employers. On June 11, St. Louis…
Effective today, June 7, 2018, Washington joins a growing list of states and cities implementing “ban the box†legislation restricting employers from inquiring about a job applicant’s criminal background during the initial stages of the application process. Governor Jay Inslee signed into law the Washington Fair Chance Act (WFCA) on March 13, 2018, prohibiting inquiries…
Arguably the greatest source of agita when it comes to screening future employees and tenants is the lengthy turnaround times associated with criminal background checks. While delays are routinely attributed to the consumer reporting agency performing the check, the reality is that turnaround times often vary due to numerous factors outside of the CRA’s control.…
On October 14, 2017, Assembly Bill 1008 (AB 1008) was signed into law by California Governor Jerry Brown. This new “Ban the Box†legislation (the “box†refers to the section on job applications that candidates check if they have a criminal record) is an added section to the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) restricting the ability of California employers with 5 or more employees to make pre-hire and personnel decisions based on an individual’s criminal history.
On March 27, 2017 the California Office of Administrative Law (OAL) approved new regulations relating to the use of criminal background information in employment decisions. These new regulations will go into effect on July 1st of this year. In addition to restating the existing bans on the use of criminal history in California (like using…
On November 30, the Los Angeles City Council voted 12-1 to approve an ordinance which prohibits LA employers from inquiring about an applicant’s criminal record until a conditional job offer has been made. This ordinance adheres to the nationwide “Ban the Box†movement which calls for the removal of check boxes or questions on job…
“Uber’s ruthless expansion strategy has put state and local legislators in the middle of the debate over regulation of the on-demand, ride-hailing workforce. Laws requiring background checks for drivers, which can restrict access to Uber’s core asset, are now a central theme of the regulatory battle, focusing specifically on the use of state and federal…
“Businesses that ask a job applicant about his or her criminal history during the hiring process could be fined and forced to pay the applicant up to $500 under a new law being considered by city leaders. A Los Angeles City Council committee backed a plan Tuesday to penalize businesses that weed out applicants based…
“President Obama said Monday he was directing federal agencies to “ban the box” in their hiring decisions, prohibiting them from asking prospective government employees about their criminal histories on job applications. Speaking at Rutgers University in Newark, N.J., where he highlighted programs meant to ease the reentry of former inmates into society, Obama said the federal government “should not use criminal…
Contact Us!
