ban the box

As of yesterday, the ‘Opportunity to Compete Act’ is officially law in New Jersey. The law states that no place of employment with 15 or more employees can have - on an initial job application - a box asking the candidate whether or not they’ve been convicted of a crime...

The new law states that Garden State employers with 15 or more workers cannot inquire about a job applicant's criminal history until completion of an initial interview.

Convicted criminals will soon have a fairer shot at employment in New Jersey.

We’re the state with the highest rate of unemployment in the region – but it comes as a surprise that the Governor has vetoed a bill that would prohibit prospective employers from turning down job applicants simply because they’re unemployed...

It’s come up before, and now a group of civic leaders and state legislators have gotten together to support the Opportunity to Compete Act, also know as “ban the box.” The purpose of the legislation is to ban the practice of having a box on a job application asking whether or not the applicant has had a criminal conviction on their record...

A state Senate panel has heard from advocates and business leaders about legislation that would limit New Jersey employers from asking job applicants about their criminal past.

Proponents of a bill that would limit New Jersey employers from asking job applicants about their criminal past are calling on legislators to pass the measure.