The State of Oregon Has Banned the Box

House Bill 3025 was signed on June 25^th, making Oregon the 18^th state to ban the box. Ban the Box legislation originally referred to removing the check-box on an application that required applicants to indicate if they have a history of criminal convictions. Most of the new bills referred to as ban the box legislation have stipulations beyond the exclusion of a check-box on the application.

HB 3025, continuing the trend sweeping the United States, goes a step further by prohibiting employers from demanding the disclosure of criminal convictions prior to an initial interview. The bill applies to all employers in Oregon outside of a few exceptions and will take effect in January 2016. Exceptions include employers that are a part of the criminal justice system, law enforcement agencies, and employers seeking non-employee volunteers.

You can view the bill in its entirety here.

For an up-to-date look at ban the box legislation and how it will affect your business, go to NELP.org