Politics & Government

Councilwoman Miller's 'Ban the Box' Legislation Signed Today

Mayor Michael Nutter signed the legislation in a ceremony at City Hall.

Mayor Michael Nutter signed legislation today that prohibits employers from requiring job applicants to disclose their criminal history until after the first employment interview.

The legislation, called "Ban the Box," was sponsored by 8th District Councilwoman Donna Reed Miller, who serves Mt. Airy.

It's intended to keep employers from discriminating against prospective job candidates. The measure was passed 13-4 in City Council on March 31 and went into law today with the mayor's approval.

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Miller said in a news release that she doesn't see a whole lot of drawbacks associated with the measure.

“The only harm that I see the potential employers may encounter is the time and money spent reading an application and interviewing an individual," she said. "This legislation does not force the employer to hire or take away their ability to judge the potential employee based on their criminal records. The caveat is that state law currently discriminates based on criminal records."

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The law applies to both public and private employers.

NAACP CEO Benjamin Jealous was at the signing ceremony this morning.

"The city that took in Michael Vick has once again shown it believes in the power of redemption," Jealous said in a news release.

According to the Philadelphia Daily News, similar laws have gone into effect in Chicago, Atlanta and Boston.


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