Obama expected to sign Executive Order to ‘ban the box’ for federal employers

President Obama is expected to sign an Executive Order on Monday that would prohibit federal employers from asking job applicants questions about potential criminal records until significantly later in the hiring process. In a previous post, we shared that both the House of Representatives and the Senate are also currently debating bills that propose ban-the-box measures. These measures — whether accomplished via executive action or through other branches of government — would provide ex-offenders with the opportunity to be considered for employment that they are qualified for, without fear of being denied consideration based solely on a previous conviction. 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. Employers will likely still be able to conduct background checks once a conditional employment offer is made, or if a position requires the applicant to pass a background check by federal law in order to complete the duties of that position. It is expected that this order would apply to federal employers but not federal contractors. It is estimated that more than 12 million citizens are ex-offenders.]]>