According to the National Employment Law Project (NELP), about 70 million people in America have some type of criminal record that could be hindering employment opportunities. But thanks to ban the box laws and Second Chance programs, the criminal history question is being removed from job applications across the country. As of June 2020, 35 U.S. states and more than 150 cities and counties have passed some form of ban the box laws, according to NELP, often morphing into more complex Fair Chance Hiring laws that don’t just impact the application process, but how an employer can use the criminal record. Fueled by the Second Chance movement, the laws recognize that employment is the best means to combat recidivism.
