If you live in California, chances are you have heard of Ban the Box legislation. Ban the Box is a movement helping alleviate immediate exclusion for job-seekers who have criminal records or have previously been incarcerated by eliminating the question about prior convictions on employment applications. July of last year, California passed AB 218, eliminating past eviction questions for public sector jobs state-wide. AB 218 applies to all public sector employers including: state, counties, cities and special districts but does not apply to criminal justice or school district jobs. The legislation leaves the question of a criminal background until the conditional-offer phase of the hiring process once minimum requirement have already been met.
Following the momentum the campaign has received all across the country, (over 100 cities and counties in 18 states) many foundations and philanthropic organizations are urging this movement to come to fruition on a national level. Earlier this month, 26 philanthropic organizations who are members of the Executives’ Alliance to Expand Opportunities for Boys and Men of Color (BMOC) which included six NCG members, signed a letter asking for executive action in the White House regarding Ban the Box. There are many local funders advocating nationally for criminal justice reform including this fair employment reform. Of the 26 organizations participating, nine were from California and six were NCG members. Our members include:
Chet Hewitt, President, Sierra Health Foundation
Darren Walker, President, Ford Foundation
Judy Belk, President & CEO, The California Wellness Foundation
Luz Vega-Marquis Marguerite, President, Marguerite Casey Foundation
Robert Ross, President, The California Endowment
Tim Silard, President, Rosenberg Foundation
To learn more about Ban the Box as well as other criminal justice and fair employment reforms, check out the resources below.
Ban the Box
http://www.rosenbergfound.org/news/2014/movement-ban-box
http://www.colorlines.com/articles/californias-ban-box-law-could-aid-7-million-job-seekers
http://www.nelp.org/publication/ban-the-box-fair-chance-hiring-state-and-local-guide/?nocdn=1
http://www.nelp.org/content/uploads/FairChanceHiring-FoundationLetter.pdf
Prop 47