The City of Sarasota no longer will inquire about criminal history during its initial application process. The box on the employment application where applicants were asked about criminal convictions has been voluntarily removed. This action makes the City of Sarasota the most recent municipality to join a movement across the United States known as ‘Ban the Box’. There is no requirement either by state or federal law requiring this action at this time, which makes the initiative by the City very forward thinking. “This is a progressive step for the City of Sarasota,” said Mayor Willie Shaw, who initiated the conversation to ban the box on the City’s job application. “Too many qualified individuals have been eliminated from the City’s hiring process because they had to check that box. This is the right thing to do and I’m proud we as a city have stepped up and changed our policy.”

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