BAN THE BOX ARTICLE INDEX FOR 2020 FROM THE BACKGROUND BUZZ (23) |
 |
Lawsuit Alleges Waterloo Broke the Law with “Ban the Box”
January | Iowa: A lawsuit filed against the City of Waterloo by the Iowa Association of Business and Industry alleges Waterloo violated state law with its “ban the box” ordinance.
ACLU Plans to Push ‘Ban the Box’ Law in 2020
January | Idaho: The American Civil Liberties Union of Idaho announced that it plans to reduce the state’s incarceration rate with a “ban the box” law.
January | National: Federal contractors soon will be banned from asking applications about their criminal histories under after the extension of a conditional job offer.
February | Maryland: Maryland now will ban private employers from requesting information about an applicant’s criminal history in job applications.
Maryland’s Ban the Box Law Requires Swift Action for Employers to Comply
March | Maryland: Certain employers in Maryland are prohibited from requiring an applicant to indicate that they have prior criminal history.
Judge Upholds Waterloo’s ‘Ban the Box’ Ordinance
April | Iowa: A challenge was rejected in Waterloo, Iowa, that alleged the “ban the box” hiring ordinance exceeded the requirements of federal or state law.
Suffolk County, NY Enacts “Ban-the-Box” Law Restricting Use of Criminal History in Pre-Hire Process
May | New York: Suffolk County will begin restricting the use of pre-employment inquiries into an applicant’s criminal conviction history.
Virginia Enacts “Ban the Box” for Simple Marijuana Possession
June | Virginia: Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam has signed a bill decriminalizing simple possession of marijuana under state law.
Bill Helping More Clear Crime Records Heads to NC Governor
June | North Carolina: The North Carolina General Assembly finalized bipartisan legislation that will allow more people to get their criminal records cleared of lower-level criminal convictions and dismissed charges.
City of Aiken “Bans the Box” by Removing Criminal History from Job Applications
July | South Carolina: The city of Aiken, South Carolina, has removed the box on applications from city government jobs that asks for an individual’s criminal history.
Shelby County Votes to “Ban the Box” for Ex-Offenders on Applications for Many County Jobs
August | Tennessee: The Shelby County Commission voted to ban the box on job applications for jobs with Shelby County government.
Governor Ray Cooper Signs Executive Order to Improve Fair Hiring Practices at North Carolina State
August | North Carolina: Governor Roy Cooper signed Executive Order 158 to implement fair chance policies at state agencies to increase employment opportunities for people with records.
Hawaii Amends Its Ban the Box Law to Fortify Protections for Ex-Offenders
September | Hawaii: Hawaii has shortened the 10-year lookback period that is part of its ban the box bill that prevents most private sector employers from considering criminal histories.
North Carolina Also Bans-the-Box
September | North Carolina: North Carolina has joined the growing list of states that are banning the box at state agencies to increase job opportunities for ex-offenders.
Updates to California’s Restrictions on Using Criminal Records in Employment Decisions
October | California: California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) has been updated regarding how employers use criminal records in hiring and personnel decisions.
“Ban the Box” Update: St. Louis Enacts Ordinance; California and Hawaii Expand Existing Laws
October | Missouri/California/Hawaii: Employers with more than 10 employees in St. Louis now are restricted from using certain criminal conviction information in hiring.
October | California: The Department of Fair Employment and Housing has amended the regulations implementing ban the box laws, effective Oct. 1, 2020.
Michigan Makes Sealing of Convictions Automatic, Including For Some Felonies
October | Michigan: Bills have been signed in Michigan that will establish an automatic mechanism to expunge certain convictions and expand eligibility for expungement.
Hawaii Expands Scope of Off-Limits Convictions for Employment Purposes
October | Hawaii: A bill has been signed that narrows the scope of convictions that employers can use for hiring and other employment-related decisions.
Montgomery County, MD Amends Ban-the-Box Legislation
November | Maryland: An amendment to Montgomery County’s ban the box legislation prohibits background checks until after a conditional offer has been extended and redefines “employer.”
St. Louis Enacts Ordinance; California and Hawaii Expand Existing Laws
December | National: St. Louis enacts a ban the box ordinance, while California and Hawaii expand existing criminal history laws.
New York City Expands Scope of its Ban-the-Box Law
December | New York City: A bill was passed by the New York City Council that expands the scope of the city’s Fair Chance Act.
Ban-The-Box: U.S. Cities, Counties, and States Adopt Fair Hiring Policies
December | Nationwide: Thirty-six states and more than 150 cities and counties have adopted what is known as “ban the box” so that employers consider a job candidate’s qualifications before arrest records.