Employers May Be Required To Remove Criminal History Section From Job Applications

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — City Council members will consider a proposed ordinance Wednesday that would bar employers from asking job applicants to reveal their criminal records during the initial stages of the recruitment process.

According to city officials, statistics from the National Institute of Justice show the likelihood of a job offer goes down 50 percent if an applicant has a criminal record.

The measure would institute a policy known as "fair chance" or "ban the box," requiring employers to remove check boxes or questions from job forms that inquire about an applicant's criminal record.

If the measure is approved, employers with 10 or more workers and city contractors would be prohibited from asking about criminal history until a conditional job offer has been made.

Any employer that decides against hiring a person after learning about his or her criminal record would need to provide justification as to why the job offer was rescinded.

The measure is part of a national movement aimed at giving formerly incarcerated residents a better chance at obtaining employment.