Arizona recently enacted a law amending Arizona Revised Statutes Section 13-905 to allow persons convicted of certain criminal offenses the opportunity to set aside a prior conviction and seek a Certificate of Second Chance.
On April 12, 2021, New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham signed two bills into law, legalizing the use and possession of recreational cannabis and allowing for the expungement of certain cannabis-related criminal records.
On March 23, 2021, Governor J.B. Pritzker signed a bill (SB1480) that amends the Illinois Human Rights Act (IHRA) to, among other things, impose new requirements on employers that perform criminal history checks on their employees.
Employers with operations in California should be vigilant about compliance with the protections against criminal record discrimination in the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA).
After contentious negotiations, Governor Phil Murphy has signed the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory, Enforcement Assistance, and Marketplace Modernization Act.
On January 20, 2021, Mayor Jim Kenney signed three bills amending Philadelphia’s Fair Criminal Record Screening Standards (FCRSS) and credit ban ordinances.
On December 10, 2020, the New York City Council passed bill Int. 1314-A, which significantly expands the scope of New York City’s “ban-the-box” law, the New York City Fair Chance Act (FCA).
As employers continue to grapple with the ever-changing legal landscape of COVID-era regulations, 2021 will bring changes to the traditional realm of employment law in dozens of jurisdictions.
A new California Fair Chance Act FAQ document, among other things, is bringing renewed and substantial attention to how employers use criminal records in hiring and personnel decisions.