Florida may be the next state to 'ban the box'

We’ve followed the ‘ban the box’ movement closely, with one of their biggest victories coming at the end of last year, when President Obama signed an Executive Order banning the box for federal employers. New ‘ban the box’ measures in Florida would open up possibilities for thousands of people, Rep. Randolph Bracy said. Bracy is a co-sponsor of the bill to remove the questions from state job applications. “Once (an applicant) checks that box, usually an employer will ‘X’ them off the list and they don’t get the opportunity to prove their worth or value,” he said of applicants with criminal histories. Lashanna Tyson was part of the group pushing for a ‘ban the box’ measure in Daytona Beach. She was the getaway driver during a convenience store robbery that left the clerk dead. A mother of three, Tyson served 13 years in prison for her role in the crime. Once she got out, she found that getting a job was a monumental task. Getting a foot in the door after checking a “yes” next to a question about her criminal history was almost impossible. “I have been fighting my way out of a hole since I came home (from prison),” she said. Statewide ‘ban the box’ legislation could help change that. By pushing back background checks until later in the hiring process, the candidate will have the opportunity to prove their abilities and skills and begin to build a relationship with the employer before any mention of criminal convictions come into play. You can follow all of our articles about the ‘ban the box’ movement here.  ]]>