Asking About Criminal History and Conducting Background Checks (“Ban the Box”)

Not only is complying with California’s labor laws challenging, operating a business in San Francisco can be particularly challenging due to a number of San Francisco city ordinances regulating employers.  Most recently, on February 17, 2014, Mayor Ed Lee signed the “Ban the Box” ordinance.  While the ordinance sounds as if it belongs in the same category as other  San Francisco environmental ordinances banning the use of plastic bags, this ordinance, formally known as the “Fair Chance Ordinance,” actually relates to what an employer can ask about relating to criminal history and when an employer can conduct a criminal background check in hiring. San Francisco is joining the ranks of many other states and municipalities who have recently passed similar restrictions “banning” the criminal history box (i.e., HI, MA, MN, RI, Newark, NJ, Seattle, WA, etc.).  See our publications relating to these trends here and here.

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