Effective Jan. 3, 2017, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has created a ban-the-box rule for federal agencies. The OPM's final rule states that federal agencies must wait until extending a conditional offer of employment before inquiring about the applicant’s criminal history.
The change will help comply with Merit System Principles and the goals of the Federal Interagency Reentry Council and the President's Memorandum of January 31, 2014, “Enhancing Safeguards to Prevent the Undue Denial of Federal Employment Opportunities to the Unemployed and Those Facing Financial Difficulty Through No Fault of Their Own.”
Plus, it will help federal agencies comply with the President's Memorandum of April 29, 2016, “Promoting Rehabilitation and Reintegration of Formerly Incarcerated Individuals.” The rule encourages more individuals with the requisite knowledge, skills and ability to apply for federal positions by making it clearer that the government provides a fair opportunity to compete for federal employment to applicants from all segments of society, including those with prior criminal histories or who have experienced financial difficulty through no fault of their own.
