PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf is moving to get rid of a requirement that applicants for all state agency jobs fill out a question about whether they have a criminal conviction.
Wolf said Friday that too often “one small checkmark” can prevent people with criminal records from getting a job and moving on.
Starting July 1, applicants for non-civil service positions with the state will not have to fill out a criminal conviction box on job applications.
Pennsylvania joins about 20 others states in the “ban the box” movement.
Wolf says the change will allow job-seekers to be judged on their skills, not just their criminal history.
The new policy has a number of exceptions, including for law enforcement positions.
Wolf expects the policy to be extended to civil service jobs by December.
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