Philadelphia Broadly Expands Ban the Box Law: Employment Law Manual Updated

Authors: David B. Weisenfeld, Melissa A. Silver and Beth P. Zoller, XpertHR Legal Editors

Effective March 14, 2016, Philadelphia's "ban the box" ordinance will expand to cover all employers in the city regardless of size. In addition, the amended law will prohibit employers from asking about an applicant's criminal history or conducting a background check until a conditional employment offer has been made.

The law notes that employers can only go back seven years in considering an applicant's criminal record. Previously, there was no time limitation. The ordinance also bans employers from adopting a blanket policy that automatically excludes an applicant with a criminal conviction from a particular job or class of jobs.

The following Pennsylvania Employment Law Manual sections have been updated to reflect this development:

A Legal Timetable entry also has been added to reflect this development.