Most employers continue to ask candidates to self-disclose criminal histories on job applications despite state and local laws and EEOC guidance against doing so.
CLEVELAND, Sept. 2, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — Nearly half of employers (48%) believe ban the box laws—which outlaw the checkbox on job applications that asks candidates if they've ever been convicted of a crime—are unfair to them, according to a survey of more than 500 individuals conducted by background screening provider EmployeeScreenIQ.
What's more, more than half of employers (53%) continue to ask candidates to self-disclose criminal histories on applications, despite the growing number of ban the box laws and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission guidance that advises against the practice.
The survey results are analyzed in the report, "Employment Screening 2015: Background Screening Trends & Practices," available for complimentary download at: http://content.employeescreen.com/2015-background-screening-trends-report-rv815
Passed by more than 100 cities and counties and at least 13 states, ban the box laws appear to be having an impact on some employers' practices; in 2014, 66% of respondents said they asked candidates to self-disclose their criminal histories on job applications, 13 percentage points more than this year.
One of employers' primary complaints about ban the box laws is that there is little or no consistency among them, making compliance difficult, especially for multistate employers. Some of these laws do little more than ban the box, but others add onerous and unique reporting requirements. In fact, 26% of respondents to the 2015 survey reported finding ban the box laws confusing.
To learn more about how ban the box laws are impacting employers, read EmployeeScreenIQ's article, "Ban the Box Is Out of Control! What You Need to Know to Protect Your Business." It's available for complimentary download at: http://content.employeescreen.com/ban-the-box-compliance-article-fv815.
"Most employers want to know about their candidates' criminal pasts, and the majority of those want that information up front," said Nick Fishman, chief marketing officer of EmployeeScreenIQ. "To date, this desire has trumped compliance concerns associated with ban the box laws and the EEOC guidance, but with more ban the box laws being enacted seemingly every day, it will be interesting to see if the trend of employers removing the criminal history checkbox continues or even intensifies."
Participants in the survey represented well over two dozen industries, including technology, banking, healthcare, government/military, manufacturing, and professional services, and hold roles ranging from front-line managers to the c-suite. Their candid feedback is detailed in the new report, available for complimentary download here.
About EmployeeScreenIQ
EmployeeScreenIQ helps employers make smart hiring decisions. We do this through a comprehensive suite of employment background screening services including the industry's most thorough and accurate criminal background checks, resume verification services and substance abuse screening. EmployeeScreenIQ is accredited by the National Association of Professional Background Screeners (NAPBS), a distinction earned by less than two percent of all employment screening companies. For more information, visit http://www.EmployeeScreen.com.
Media Contacts:
Nick Fishman, EmployeeScreenIQ
(800) 235-3954
Email
Jackie Jusko
FisherVista for EmployeeScreenIQ
(415) 460-9984
Email
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