Know Your Rights: Governor Quinn Signs Ban the Box Legislation

Ban the Box Image-page-001 This past weekend, Governor Pat Quinn signed the Job Opportunities for Qualified Applicants Act, also known as Ban the Box legislation, which prohibits employers from performing background checks until after an employer finds an applicant is qualified for the job and the employee has been selected for an interview. The governor stated the Ban the Box legislation “will help ensure that people across Illinois get a fair shot to reach their full potential through their skills and qualifications, rather than past history. It will also help reduce recidivism, fight poverty and prevent violence in our communities by putting more people back to work.” Click here to view the Governor’s press release.

The Ban the Box legislation takes effect on January 1, 2015. This law does not apply to jobs where employers must exclude applicants with criminal histories.

The Illinois Department of Labor is responsible for investigating any alleged violations of the Act, the Director of Labor may impose civil penalties ranging from a written warning for the first offense to a fine of $1,500 for the third offense.

Click here to check out the full text of the Act.

Also, remember that expunging and sealing your criminal record may be an option for you to ease the job search process. Check out our previous blog posts discussing the expungement and sealing process. If you have questions about how your criminal history may affect your job search or expunging or sealing your criminal record, give the Law Offices of Laura J. Morask a call for a free consultation.


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