Ban the Box Activity Highlights Immediate Call to Action for Hiring Managers, Opines CriminalBackgroundrecords.com

Ban the Box Activity Highlights Immediate Call to Action for Hiring Managers, Opines CriminalBackgroundrecords.com

Recently Arizona Governor Doug Ducey signed an executive order banning the question of criminal history on state employment applications thus continuing the trend of legislative action controlling the use of criminal records as part of pre-employment background screening. It also highlights an urgent need for all hiring managers to work with a well-qualified background screening agency to ensure compliance with existing and potential law. Adam Almeida, President and CEO of CriminalBackgroundRecords.com opines: “Any legislative action regarding the use of public records as part of pre-employment background screening is an immediate call to action for all businesses to work with a third-party background screening agency to make sure they are in full compliance with existing law.”

When Arizona Governor Doug Ducey signed an executive order banning the box on state applications the state joined dozens of other states and municipalities in delaying when the question of criminal history can be asked as part of the pre-employment background screening process and signals to Arizona business, as well as businesses across the country, that now is the time to review any existing pre-employment background screening policies to ensure full compliance with existing and potential law. Adam Almeida, President and CEO of CriminalBackgroundRecords.com, states: “Every time a state or municipality enacts ‘ban the box’ legislation it is a clear signal to all business to make sure they are compliant with laws governing the use of public records in employment screening.”

Ban the box legislation has been spreading across the country and the addition of Arizona increases the number of states that have similar forms of legislation on the books.

Almeida states: “Ban the box moves when the question of criminal history can be asked. It goes from being a part of the application process to a question asked post-offer and one that has to be very specific to the position in question.”

From Lexology.com (Nov. 07, 17):

On November 6, Arizona governor Doug Ducey signed an executive order making Arizona the most recent state to adopt a “ban the box” law. The state joins Pima County and Tucson – Arizona localities that have already joined the “ban the box” movement. Under the new policy, state agencies will delay questions related to an employment applicant’s criminal record until after the initial stages of interviewing (i.e., until an applicant has submitted an application and received an initial interview). ₍₁₎

Ban the box policy is designed to assist formerly incarcerated individuals gain a more equal footing during the application process.

Almeida states: “If the question of Criminal History is delayed the application process should become more equal. Studies have shown that many applications that have the box checked regarding criminal history are often ignored or discarded, thus creating an inequitable hiring situation for formerly incarcerated individuals.”

It is critical that businesses and organizations ensure their hiring policies are current with existing law and the action by Arizona is a clear indication that these policies should be reviewed by a third-party background screening company.

Almeida concludes: “Changes in laws governing the use of criminal background records in pre-employment background screening is a clear indicator for companies to review their screening policies immediately and utilize the services of a third-party background screening company.

CriminalBackgroundRecords.com is a third-party background screening company with highly trained operators well versed in the needs and requirements of companies and organizations large and small utilizing public records, such as criminal records, as part of a hiring process.

Notes:

(1) lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=e47d3ced-bb50-4bfb-aa34-2882d5242805

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