In Waco, TX, after La Vega ISD officials discovered possible criminal offenses that were missed because of improper background checking on an athletic trainer who was brought in to work with the cheerleaders the volunteer was barred from school property. The district…
Posts by Category: Criminal History Check
Terminating an Employee for Not Fully Disclosing His Criminal History in an Application for Employment Did Not Violate the Pennsylvania Criminal History Record Information Act
InMcCorkle v. Schenker Logistics, Inc., 2014 WL 5020598 (M.D. Pa. October 8, 2014), the court held that terminating an employee for not fully disclosing his criminal history, as requested in an employment application, did not violate the Pennsylvania Criminal History…
Madison Joins Chorus To Ban The Box
The City Council of Madison, Wisconsin has the joined numerous municipalities across the country by passing a legislation to ban the box – except for police and firefighter applicants – officials are now considering whether to force city vendors and…
District of Columbia Enacts Ban-the-Box Legislation Limiting Employers’ Criminal Background Inquiries on Applicants
A new District of Columbia law, Fair Criminal Record Screening Amendment Act of 2014 (Act Number A20-0422), prohibits employers from inquiring into a prospective employee’s criminal conviction background on its application and before making a conditional offer…
Arizona Lawmakers Want Background Checks For Hotel Workers
Two Arizona lawmakers have pledged to push for legislation that would prohibit registered sex offenders from having unfettered access to hotel guest rooms, an effort hospitality officials say they would welcome for discussion. The announcement comes in the wake of…
“Ban the Box:” A Discussion of State and Local Laws Restricting Inquiries into an Applicant’s Criminal History
According to the National Employment Law Project, 67 cities and counties and 13 states have adopted such provisions. [1] More cities and states are expected to follow suit. ThisCommentarydiscusses the current state of the ban the box laws, the risks that these laws…
Spokane Joining Nationwide ‘Ban the Box’ Trend
Spokane Mayor David Condon said the city would join a nationwide trend to “ban the box” and no longer ask city job applicants about their criminal background. Condon said revising the city’s employment application would open “another pathway to…
Employer Concerns About Liability Loom As Push for Ban-the-Box Policies Spreads
Many employers continue to push back against blanket approval of ban-the-box policies, arguing that they have an obligation to keep workplaces safe and avoid negligent hiring or employment discrimination claims. In some cases, they are working with advocates to hammer…
Convict Rehired Under ‘Ban the Box’ Policy
A City of Austin employee with a lengthy criminal history was fired after entering a guilty plea. However, the city acknowledges he was allowed to keep working after his arrest and without a background check due to city policies and despite being fired by the city 12…
New Jersey’s “Ban the Box” Bill Sent to Governor Christie’s Desk; Final Version More Employer-Friendly
The New Jersey Legislature has given final approval to a slightly more employer-friendly version of the state’s “ban the box” measure, which now heads to Governor Chris Christie’s desk. Notably for employers, the legislation explicitly provides…




