No Need For Businesses To Fear 'Ban The Box ' Measure, Employment Attorney Says
"Louisville has joined the ranks of cities to enact an ordinance prohibiting employers from asking job applicants about their criminal backgrounds. The bill applies only to the city and its private vendors. According to Tom Birchfield, a managing partner at Louisville-based Fisher and Phillips LLP law firm said, ""I don 't think it is that big of a deal because it says you can 't have a box on the application."" Ban the Box supporters say the measure simply prevents businesses from summarily dismissing job applicants who admit they 've been convicted of a crime. In most cases the city or its vendors now can 't ask about conviction history until after they have determined that applicants otherwise are qualified for positions."