Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin issued an executive order Wednesday that removes questions about criminal history from the initial application for state jobs in the executive branch. The Fair Chance Employment Initiative means that applicants will not be required to check the box for criminal convictions on the initial state application. Executive branch agencies may still inquire about criminal records before interviewing an applicant and may consider criminal history when making hiring decisions. Postponing that inquiry until after the initial application provides applicants with a better opportunity to explain their backgrounds.
