Columbia City Council agrees to “Ban the Box”

At the Dec. 1 Columbia City Council meeting, the council passed an amendment to create “Ban the Box” legislation for the city. Ban the Box is an initiative from the Human Rights Commission and the National Employment Law Project to remove employment barriers for ex-offenders returning to society. The legislation will prohibit employers in Columbia from asking applicants questions regarding criminal history until after a job offer has been made. Although certain jobs are exempt from the legislation as required by the federal and state government, inquiries in to an applicant’s criminal history are prohibited both on the application and during an interview.

Columbia is the second city in Missouri to pass “Ban the Box” legislation, following Kansas City. According to the NELP website, ex-offenders who find full-time employment are 30 percent less likely to return to prison. “Ban the Box” legislation, also known as Fair Chance legislation, encourages employers to consider severity of offenses, time since an offense and rehabilitation efforts since an offense once a conditional job offer has been made.

The Human Rights Commission will handle enforcement of the ordinance as well as any complaints pertaining to the commission and the process. For more information, visit the Human Rights Commission web page or the NELP “Ban the Box” information page.