San Francisco Employers: Time to Revise Employment Applications, Background Check Rules, as Supervisors "Ban the Box"

"Ban the box" means to get rid of boxes on employment applications asking for criminal history. The idea is so that employers don't automatically reject applicants with criminal convictions if they might otherwise be qualified to hold a job.

A number of jurisdictions have "banned the box," mainly in public sector employment.  Now, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors have passed an ordinance drastically limiting employers' reliance on criminal convictions.  No more criminal history information can be requested on the application.
 Even better, employers will have to comply with procedural requirements that differ from the Fair Credit Reporting Act when they do check criminal history.

We'll have an article soon with a more detailed analysis.  But the ordinance is here.  It's a big file.  The ordinance itself is long and hard to read.  A summary is on pages 55-58 of the linked  PDF.

This ordinance may take effect in a month or so.  The mayor theoretically could veto this ordinance. So, stay tuned.

Oh and YES, there will be another poster!  There may be a new ordinance requiring employers to build more walls soon.  Sure, laugh now.

Good luck out there.