Ban the Box on Criminal background checks in Employment

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Employers Beware, and Employees be notified that, “Ban the Box” goes into effect as of January 1, 2017.  Ban the Box is a slogan used to describe public act No. 16-83 which has been approved and will amended Connecticut General Statute 31-51i to prohibit employers from inquiring about a prospective employee’s prior arrests, criminal charges, or convictions on an “initial employment application” unless permitted under other federal or state laws.  This does not mean that an employer cannot request such information at a later phase in the hiring process!  This change is a mechanism being utilized to ensure that qualified individuals, even those with criminal backgrounds, are being provided with fair and equal consideration for employment opportunities.  If a company violates this new statute, a formal complaint can be filed with the Connecticut Department of Labor.

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