New York City’s Fair Chance Act, also known as the “Ban the Box” law, came into effect on Tuesday, October 27, 2015. This law prohibits employers in the city from asking about the criminal history of job applicants until the later stages of the hiring process.
The Fair Chance Act, which is an amendment to the New York City Human Rights Law (NYCHRL), aims to provide a fair opportunity for approximately five million New Yorkers to secure employment. It applies to private companies and prevents them from conducting criminal background checks, inquiring about past convictions on job applications and during interviews, and specifying job requirements related to arrest or conviction history until a conditional job offer has been made.
The initiative to “Ban the Box” was initially introduced in the City Council in 2014 by Council Member Jumaane Williams and later signed into law by Mayor Bill de Blasio in late June.
“Today, we ‘ban the box’ in New York City. This bill opens the door to jobs for New Yorkers who have already paid their debt to society, rather than condemning them to a grim economic future. Now, all applicants will get a fair shot at the opportunities that can lead them on a pathway to success,”
expressed Mayor de Blasio. “I want to thank Speaker Mark-Viverito for her leadership, as well as Manhattan Borough President Brewer and Council Member Williams for sponsoring this legislation.”
Alyssa Aguilera, political director at VOCAL-NY, a prominent advocacy group involved in advocating for the law, mentioned that the legislation applies to all employers in New York City with more than four employees, with an estimated 2.5 million individuals in the city having a criminal record.
“If we’re discussing at the federal level the release of individuals with certain convictions and sentence reductions, we must eliminate the lasting repercussions of a criminal record such as employment discrimination,” highlighted Aguilera. “When individuals return to our communities, they deserve the chance to work. Without that opportunity, it only perpetuates recidivism and poverty in communities of color. Every individual deserves a fair opportunity to work, and this law ensures that.”
-Sherley Boursiquot
