In December 2019, President Trump signed into law the Fair Chance Act, prohibiting federal agencies and government contractors from inquiring about an applicant’s criminal history before making a conditional employment offer, unless a specified exception applies. Many states and localities have enacted ban-the-box laws. North Carolina will be the next to do so when, on Nov. 1, 2020, the Executive Order 158 goes into effect. According to Governor Cooper, the legislation will affect “more than 1.7 million people in North Carolina who have a criminal record and may face barriers to employment because of that record.”
