Ban the Box is a New Jersey-based advocacy campaign to mobilize political support for The Opportunity to Compete Act.

Should a Criminal Record question be incuded on Job Applications ?
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This bill, commonly referred to as Ban the Box, will be discussed in the New Jersey Assembly’s Law and Public Safety Committee. "The Box" refers to the box on NJ employment applications that asks you if you've ever been arrested or convicted of a crime.

The purpose of this campaign is to bring awareness to the benefits this bill would provide. If passed, this bill will ask employers to conduct criminal background checks after an applicant has been interviewed and has received a condition offer for employment. In doing so, the hiring process for all residents is fairer.

To read the bill, click here.

Cornell Brooks, of the NJ Institute of Social Justice joined Jim this morning to discuss the bill and why there is a need to remove this box from NJ job applications and have the question moved to later in the interview process. The legislation's goal is not about giving anyone a job rather it would be just granting people the opportunity to compete for employment.

You can listen to the entire interview below

 

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