The Fair Chance Act, which prohibits government agencies and their contractors from asking about criminal history prior to a conditional offer, should be considered for a number of reasons. First, enacting a Fair Chance policy provides a competitive edge, casting a wider next and attracting stronger candidates. It also provides a more diverse employee base, bringing new perspectives and also improving creativity and innovation, and a greater return on investment. The National Employment Law Projects offers five tips for those preparing to draft a Fair Chance policy. These include avoiding stigmatizing language, including an equal opportunity statement on the application, only considering convictions related to job duties, adhering to Ban the Box laws, and removing self-reporting questions.
