Effective Nov. 1st, 2020, candidates for most state jobs in North Carolina will no longer be required to disclose criminal convictions on their employment applications. Governor Cooper’s executive order will ban most state agencies from asking about an applicant’s criminal record until the person has received an interview. This is being done to ensure that candidates are not screened out of the hiring process before they have an opportunity to prove their merit.
It should be noted that the requirement does not currently apply to private companies. Some state positions, like Law Enforcement, will still require candidates to disclose their records. It also does not mean that a criminal conviction relevant to the role that the candidate applies for cannot be used to make an employment decision after a conditional job offer is extended.
Furthermore, Cooper said he wants the Department of Administration to look at the feasibility of having state contractors implement these policies as well. This means that employers working with the state (and other employers in general) may want to review their policies in the event that the ban the box requirement is extended to cover their businesses as well.
If you’re an employer and you have questions on how to update your background screening processes, contact CRC’s sales team at (877) 272-0266.
