Vermont Governor Peter Shumlin has made the Green Mountain State the most recent state in the nation to implement statewide “ban the box” legislation. Connecticut may soon follow, once Governor Dannel Malloy signs legislation passed by the state legislature on May 4, 2016. The laws restrict employers in the states from inquiring about a job applicant’s criminal background on an initial employment application. “Banning the box is all about breaking down barriers and giving those Vermonters who have paid their debt to society a fair chance at finding a good job,” said Shumlin. The new law takes effect on July 1, 2017. Employers should prepare now to comply with the new laws.