The Illinois Human Rights Act prohibits employers from considering an employee’s arrest history and now the state is taking things one step further in banning the use of criminal history in employment decisions. House Bill 1480 was passed, which provides that unless otherwise authorized by law, an employer may only consider an individual’s criminal conviction history if there is a substantial relationship between the criminal history and the position sought or held, or if the employer can show that the individual’s employment raises an unreasonable risk to property or to the safety or welfare of specific individuals or to the general public. The law, upon signing by the governor, will go into effect immediately.
