The job application process just became significantly fairer for thousands of New Yorkers.
Three months after New York City passed the Fair Chance Act, which bars private companies from inquiring about an applicant’s criminal history, the law is going into effect, reports The Source. From this point forward, the infamous criminal history question on applications will be barred, and companies will be prohibited from conducting criminal background checks.
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“Today, we ‘ban the box’ in New York City,” New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said earlier this year when the bill passed. “This bill opens the door to jobs for New Yorkers who have already paid the debt to society, rather than condemning them to a grim economic future. Now all applicants will get a fair shot at the opportunities that can lead them on a pathway to success.”
The new law will apply to any company with at least five employees and has the potential to affect nearly 2.5 million residents who have been convicted of a crime in the past.