HARRISBURG, Pa.–Governor Tom Wolf announced Friday that beginning July 1 state agencies will remove the criminal conviction question, otherwise known as “banning the box,” from non-civil service employment applications.
“Banning the box will allow prospective applicants with criminal records to be judged on their skills and qualifications and not solely on their criminal history, while preserving a hiring agency’s ability to appropriately screen applicants as part of the hiring process,” Governor Wolf said in a statement.
The new policy will be effective July 1, 2017 for non-civil service applicants. Wolf said the Office of Administration will provide guidance and training to agencies prior to the implementation of the policy, and anticipates that the policy will be applied to civil service applicants by December 2017.
The Wolf administration notes exceptions to the policy will be made for positions where a criminal conviction makes an applicant ineligible under law and for positions responsible for the safeguarding or security of people or property, law enforcement or those involving contact with vulnerable populations.
To view the full policy, click here
