Kansas City Missouri Bans the Box

March 1st, 2018 | Sterling

On February 1st, 2018, the City of Kansas City, Missouri enacted Ordinance 180034, which will prohibit employers from inquiring about an applicant or employees criminal history until the individual has qualified for the position and has been interviewed. The ordinance will become effective on June 9th, 2018. Please see below for a summary of the new law.

The law will make it an unlawful practice for an employer with six or more employees to do the following:

  • Inquire about an applicants criminal history until it has been determined that the individual is qualified for the position and has been interviewed.
  • For an employer to base a hiring or decision to promote an applicant or employee based on the applicant’s criminal history or sentence unless the employer can demonstrate that the decision was based on an analysis of the following factors:
  • Frequency of the offense
  • Recentness of the offense
  • Severity of the offense
  • How the offense is related to the position in question
  • The ordinance does not apply to positions where employers are required to exclude certain applicants with certain criminal convictions from employment due to local, state, or federal law or regulation.

The full text of the ordinance can be found here here.

The information contained herein is for informational purposes only. Clients are encouraged to consult with their legal counsel on the impact of this new law. Sterling is not a law firm, and none of the information contained in this notice is intended as legal advice.

Sterling is not a law firm. This publication is for informational purposes only and nothing contained in it should be construed as legal advice. We expressly disclaim any warranty or responsibility for damages arising out this information. We encourage you to consult with legal counsel regarding your specific needs. We do not undertake any duty to update previously posted materials.