Employment Fairness Act for Returning Citizens in Prince George’s County, MD
The Prince George's Employment Fairness Act for Returning Citizens is a new law in Prince George's County, Maryland, designed to provide fair...
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Last month we discussed New York City’s Fair Chance Act (FCA). It places restrictions on how NYC employers can use certain criminal history information. The FCA addresses employment ads, asking job applicants about criminal history, and adverse action restrictions.
On January 10, 2021, NYC enacted several amendments to the FCA. The updates expand the scope of NYC’s ban the box law and will go into effect this summer.
The amendments establish NYC FCA-specific “relevant fair chance factors” that an employer is required to consider in certain circumstances.
For arrests or criminal accusations pending at the time of application for employment, and arrests or convictions that occurred during employment, these factors include:
For arrests and convictions that occurred before employment, other than arrests or criminal accusations pending at the time of the employment application, employers should consider state law factors.
The new amendments to the FCA aim to reduce uncertainty about what records employers may consider. This more granular breakout of criminal history helps employers know what can and cannot be considered.
For employment purposes, employers cannot make any inquiry about, deny employment to an applicant, or take adverse action against any employee based on an arrest of or criminal accusation against the applicant or employee when the inquiry, employment denial or adverse action is in violation of state law.
In addition to this restriction, employers, with certain exceptions, cannot inquire about, deny employment or take adverse action based on:
The updates to NYC’s FCA expand restrictions on when employers can take adverse action against applicants and employees.
With some exceptions, the amendments make it illegal for an employer to take adverse action by reason of either an applicant or employee’s pending arrests or criminal accusations or criminal convictions an employee obtains during employment, or by finding a lack of “good moral character” due to an applicant’s or employee’s pending arrests or criminal accusations or convictions an employee obtains during employment, unless, after considering the relevant fair chance factors:
An employer can take adverse action if the applicant or employee intentionally misrepresented their arrest or conviction history, provided that the adverse action is not based on information that the employee is not required to divulge based on city or state law. As to such adverse action, the employer must provide the applicant or employee with copies of documents the employer used to determine that there was an intentional misrepresentation and allow a reasonable time to respond.
The new amendments also expand the “Fair Chance Process.” This formal process outlines the steps an employer must take before taking adverse action. Previously, the process only applied to new job applicants. Employers must now engage in the Fair Chance Process when taking adverse action against both new applicants and current employees.
During the Fair Chance Process, employers, with certain exceptions, must now request information relating to the relevant fair chance factors from the applicant or employee.
On top of those changes, employers must now allow job applicants a minimum of five business days to respond before they take adverse action. As before, the employer must hold the position open for the applicant during the response period.
The amendments to the current Act take effect on July 29, 2021. Employers may wish to discuss the NYC Fair Chance Act amendments with their legal counsel to make sure they stay in compliance with the law.
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