"Ban the Box" Legislation Passes
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"Ban the Box" Legislation Passes
Catherine Lucey
City Council just gave final passage to legislation that would block most employers from asking about job applicants’ criminal histories until after an initial job interview.
Known as the “ban the box” bill, the measure was sponsored by Councilwoman Donna Reed Miller in the hopes that it would help increase employment opportunities for ex-offenders. Similar legislation has been passed in a number of cities and states, including Chicago, Atlanta and Boston.
"People with criminal records are discriminated against in many ways," Miller said before the 13-4 vote in favor of the bill. "This legislation will promote the capacity of ex-offenders and allow them to take care of themselves and their families."
Under the new rules -- which apply to the city and private employers, but exempt criminal justice agencies like police and prisons -- employers could ask about criminal records and run background checks after the first job interview.
Comments (82)
If you can't do the time, don't commit the crime. Employers have EVERY right to ask about criminal records prior to the first interview. Why waste time interviewing an ex-con if they won't hire them anyway? Its a waste of time and money but as we all know Council is good for that.— psyrus- "People with criminal records are discriminated against in many ways," Of course they are they are criminals. We are suppose to be able to descriminate between felons and non-felons. Descrimination is only bad when it is because of race, gender, religion, ect. Companies ask people to disclose if they are a felon because they will not hire felons. This saves time and money for the company and the prospective employee. Now you are going to have felons interviewing, the company paying for the backround check, and the felon going to be denied a job anyway. Real waste of time and money. Glad this is what city council's passing when there are tons of layoffs, crimes, ect.— kjc5008
- I bet you copy/pasted the quote.
want to know how I know?— ekw555 - It's just a slip. Kjc5008 meant to say De Scriminated - as in of/from the town of Scriminated which is very near the town called Scrimination.
Ever been there? 
Comment removed.- Comment removed.
- "...do you want YOUR BANK hiring thieves?...LOL..."
But the loudest laugh is on you.
Apparently you haven't been paying attention to the world-wide recession that's been going on for the past couple of years. It began with our economy being brought to its knees by criminals called Bankers.
And the criminal Bankers have been forgiven by us through bailout loans. Now they're back in business - repeating their offenses. It's called recidivism. - Just another reason for a business to move out of the city.— mikegdj
- Conservative arguments to this are absolutely ridiculous. They complain over and over and over and over about the "Welfare State", yet when former convicts try to do the right thing after serving time by looking for a legitimate job to provide for themselves, conservatives support openly discriminating against them so that they can't find employment. So guess what happens next? Ex-cons either go on unemployment/welfare b/c they can't find work or they go back to a life of crime b/c that's the only thing they can do to earn. As the (fake) budget hawks you all claim to be, what is better for the economy and tax base? Ex-cons working real, productive jobs and paying taxes or living on welfare and becoming repeat offenders? Not to mention, it's clear none of you actually read the article b/c no one is telling employers they aren't entitled to do background checks and hire based on those results. The law just stipulates that they can't ask on the initial application so that job seekers are at least able to get their foot in the door. So much hypocrisy (or ignorance... just can't decide which).— Whatjugot
- I_don't_want_my_bank_hiring_any_thieves_or_bigots— DixonBunz
- Since this already exists in many cities and states, all these people complaining seem rather behind the times, right? Glad to see the right thing done.— HandNik
- It's understandable how this passed... criminals are one of the Democrat party's biggest constituencies.— fafafooey
- Comment removed.
- Proving once again its the fascist libs who are the violent ones. You sound like Che Guevara. Forget your xa nax today? — JerryCurlan
- Comment removed.
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Chris Brennan, a native Philadelphian and graduate of Temple University, joined the Daily News in 1999. He has written about SEPTA, the Philadelphia School District, the legalization of casino gambling, state government, the mayor, the governor, City Council and political campaigns. E-mail tips to brennac@phillynews.com
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David Gambacorta spent a small eternity writing about cops, drug dealers and serial killers. Now he’s writing about power and politics – which sometimes reminds him of the old crime beat. He joined the Daily News in 2005. And yes, he knows you’re not quite sure how to pronounce his last name. E-mail tips to gambacd@phillynews.com
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Jan Ransom, a native New Yorker, joined the Daily News in 2010 after graduating from Howard University. She has since written about the difficulty of filing police complaints, tax deadbeats and life after violent home invasions. She joined the Daily News City Hall Bureau in 2011 and has plunged headfirst into reporting on administration budget battles and City Council shenanigans. E-mail tips to ransomj@phillynews.com
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Sean Collins Walsh is from Bucks County and went to Northwestern University. He joined the Daily News copy desk in 2012 and now covers the Nutter administration. Before that, he interned at papers including The New York Times, The Dallas Morning News and The Seattle Times. E-mail tips to walshSE@phillynews.com
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Follow Chris on Twitter
David Gambacorta spent a small eternity writing about cops, drug dealers and serial killers. Now he’s writing about power and politics – which sometimes reminds him of the old crime beat. He joined the Daily News in 2005. And yes, he knows you’re not quite sure how to pronounce his last name. E-mail tips to gambacd@phillynews.com
Follow Dave on Twitter.
Jan Ransom, a native New Yorker, joined the Daily News in 2010 after graduating from Howard University. She has since written about the difficulty of filing police complaints, tax deadbeats and life after violent home invasions. She joined the Daily News City Hall Bureau in 2011 and has plunged headfirst into reporting on administration budget battles and City Council shenanigans. E-mail tips to ransomj@phillynews.com
Follow Jan on Twitter
Sean Collins Walsh is from Bucks County and went to Northwestern University. He joined the Daily News copy desk in 2012 and now covers the Nutter administration. Before that, he interned at papers including The New York Times, The Dallas Morning News and The Seattle Times. E-mail tips to walshSE@phillynews.com
Follow Sean on Twitter
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