Hawaii was the first state to implement the Ban the Box law in 1998, later becoming popular in Minnesota and other states soon following. Intended to provide a fair chance for applicants with a criminal record until a certain state of the application process, the objective of Ban the Box is for employers to consider the qualification, quality and skills of the applicants without the stigma of criminal history. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) set up guidelines for the law to be fair and persuade organizations to consider the nature and gravity of the applicant’s original offense or conduct, the time that has passed since the offense, conduct and/or completion of the sentence, and the nature of the job now held or sought by the ex-offender. Although a majority of studies state that one-third of Americans who are at an employable age have a criminal background, there are concerns that hiring these individuals could impact a company’s policy.
