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About The Ban The Box Law

A Fair Chance Law was approved by the Commissioner’s Court in Harris County, Texas. It established a Ban the Box policy that prohibits government agencies from including questions about criminal records on their job applications.

Five Commissioners reviewed and voted on the proposed law. It passed by a margin of 3-2. With that close vote, Harris County joined numerous states, counties and cities that have similar policies in place.

Why The Law Was Passed

“We know that one in three Americans in their lifetime have had some interaction in the criminal justice system and these are folks who are skilled,” said Christian Menefee, the County Attorney. “There are millions of parents throughout this country who have been caught up in the criminal justice system and who are being either unemployed, underemployed or forced out of the workforce.”

Millions of Americans have criminal records and many are for minor or outdated offenses, including some that have since been decriminalized. Legislators throughout the country have been approving Second Chance laws like the one in Harris County to help fix this problem. They understand that having any type of conviction can make it difficult for people to find employment. When employers see that an applicant has a criminal record while reviewing the person’s job application, they might not give that individual any further consideration. Therefore, job seekers can be overlooked even if they are qualified and eligible.

The Texas Department of Public Safety released a report that showed Harris County has an extremely high recidivism rate. It noted that nearly 75% of individuals who get charged with felony offenses were found to also have previous convictions. One hope for the Ban the Box policy is to help people find jobs and, in turn, not feel like their only option to survive is to commit additional crimes.

Pure Justice

A Texas-based organization known as Pure Justice uses “community organizing, civic engagement, education, and research as methods to help reform institutions and systems that perpetuate social and criminal injustices, aiming to improve the lives of low-income and working-class families.” They have been proponents of this Fair Chance Act.

Sharia Legette, the Communications Director for Pure Justice spoke in favor of the law. She said: “It’s extremely important to have this implemented in Harris County considering it’s largely populated with Black and brown people. And as we know we are primarily the ones who are disproportionately affected by the criminal justice system.” With the support of a majority of Commissioners, groups like Pure Justice and members of the community, some expect the Ban the Box law to also be picked up by private employers.

What Employers Should Know

Government employers in Harris County should be aware of this law and prepared for compliance. Other employers should also be aware and understand that similar bills could be introduced that affect them

Running Background Checks

Every location that has a Ban the Box law continues to encourage employers to run comprehensive background checks. Hiring managers rely on these reports to help them make informed decisions and create safe workplaces.

When you need employment background checks, please contact us. Our experienced team can help you customize screening packages for any position. We are available to assist you Monday through Friday from 5am to 6pm PT.