The City of Austin, Texas, has passed a Fair Chance Hiring Ordinance (No. 20160324-019). A ban the box measure, it prohibits private employers (“… a person, company, corporation, firm, labor organization, or association that employs at least fifteen individuals whose primary work location in the City for each working day in each of 20 or more calendar weeks in the current or preceding calendar year”) from asking about an applicant’s criminal record or criminal history until after a conditional offer of employment is made.
Employers excluded from the ordinance include; any federal, state or local law that automatically prohibits employment of individuals based on a prior criminal history, and nonprofit organizations.
If you’re a city of Austin, Texas employer, you should determine if the ordinance applies to your business. If applicable, it’s suggested you; consult with your legal counsel, review your job applications, and update your interview processes and other employment guidelines as necessary to comply with the Fair Chance Hiring Ordinance.
Read more on the ordinance here.
To obtain a draft copy of the ordinance, click here.