"Ban the Box" Legislation Passes
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.
"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.
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So I guess not one of you has ever needed a second chance? Really? What ever happened to making a mistake? These people have to live with the tag "felon" for the rest of their lives. Why not give them a chance to be a productive member of society and let them work off their restitution instead of never paying the government back and sitting back collecting unemployment or welfare or using Medicaid. I'd rather them pay taxes like the rest of society instead of paying for them to not work.— tas1869- Comment removed.
- Most law schools will ask, and later, when you are applying to take the bar exam, you will be asked again by the bar examiners. When applying to the bar, many do background checks on applicants, which can show even an expunged arrest record. And what wounderful reputations lawyers have so yea....banning the box doesn't matter.
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- There are people out there that deserve to change their live around. Some People like myself got caught up in something at 18 and I have paid for it my entire life. Yeah I know all you brainiacs at 18 were model citizens, never did anything wrong and should be applying for sainthood in the very near future. Me on the other hand was very immature at 18 and didn't take life seriously. Wow that was 23 years ago.— Verse1234
- INSANE...WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENING TO THE PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY?THIS IS JUST TO MAKE THE POLITICIANS LOOK LIKE THEY'RE ACHIEVING SOMETHING FOR THEIR CONSTITUENTS. BOTTOM LINE, YOU AINT GOING NO WHERE. YOU'RE ALL GETTING BACKGROUND CHECKS AND YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS.....— cubalaw
- The don't just "look" like they are - they are.
When the majority of your constituents are convicted criminals then you ARE achieving something for your constituents by passing this law. - I can understand a person not wanting to hire a violent criminal offender, or a child molester, but what about the person like me that was caught partying in a building that I shouldnt have been in with 5 other of my friends me being 18 the rest 17 and getting stuck with that felon tag the rest of my natural born life? There are so many walls thrown at me you cant jump over them all. Lumping all the felons together is simply wrong. thats like lumping all people of a race together, when they are clearly differnt— Verse1234
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- Only in Philly. Hopefully New Jersey might be persuaded to annex Philly...or NY or DE...or Spain.— thepaguy
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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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