As of January 1, 2018, California became the 10th state to enact ban-the-box laws for both private employers, as well as public. In the other 40 states, some jurisdictions have simply mandated that employers can't consider convictions or criminal history until later in the hiring process. Under the Fair Chance Act, these laws give applicants a fair opportunity to be considered for a job by preventing employers from excluding applicants with a criminal history from the beginning of the hiring process. By eliminating questions regarding criminal history from the application, employers instead are encouraged to choose a candidate based on their first impression, qualifications, and skills for the job.
