Effective January 1, 2021: St. Louis employers with 10 or more employees are prohibited from basing their hiring or promotion decisions on an applicant’s criminal history.  The ordinance notably provides an exception if the employer can demonstrate that its decision is based on all available information. Factors include the frequency and severity of the crimes and whether the crimes are reasonably related to the responsibilities of the position.

Employers are also prohibited from inquiring into, or requiring applicants to make disclosures on, criminal history in the initial hiring process. Employers must wait until the applicant is in the final selection process (has been interviewed and is qualified for the position) before inquiring into criminal history.

The ordinance places additional limitations on employers with fair chance hiring initiatives.

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For more information on Ban the Box and other laws, and whether they affect your state, visit our resource guide at the Hire Image Resource Library