City of Madison - File #: 34801

• File #: 34801
• Version: #2
• Name: SUBSTITUTE Accepting the Ban the Box Report and removing questions regarding an applicant’s criminal history from the City of Madison employment application for all City of Madison job vacancies except those in the Police Department and commissioned fire
• Type: Resolution
• Status: Passed
• File created: 7/9/2014
• In control: COMMON COUNCIL
• On agenda: 9/2/2014
• Final action: 9/2/2014
• Enactment date: 9/5/2014
• Enactment #: RES-14-00679
• Title: SUBSTITUTE Accepting the Ban the Box Report, and removing questions regarding an applicant’s criminal history from the City of Madison employment application for all City of Madison job vacancies except those in the Police Department and commissioned fire personnel, and directing City Staff to engage with vendors and contractors with the intent of introducing an ordinance within six (6) months requiring City vendors and contractors to ban the box from their employment applications in order to do business with the City.
• Sponsors: Paul R. Soglin, Maurice S. Cheeks, Marsha A. Rummel, Shiva Bidar, Lucas Dailey, John Strasser, Larry Palm

Date	Ver.	Action By	Action	Result
9/2/2014	#2	COMMON COUNCIL	Adopt Substitute	Pass
8/5/2014	1	COMMON COUNCIL	Re-refer to a Future Meeting to Adopt	Pass
7/15/2014	1	COMMON COUNCIL	Refer to a future Meeting to Adopt
7/9/2014	1	Human Resources Department	Referred for Introduction

Fiscal Note
No appropriation is required to accept this report, to modify employment applications as stated, and to communicate the intention of the forthcoming ordinance. If the Next Steps suggested in the report are implemented, there could be fiscal impacts in the future.

Title
SUBSTITUTE Accepting the Ban the Box Report, and removing questions regarding an applicant’s criminal history from the City of Madison employment application for all City of Madison job vacancies except those in the Police Department and commissioned fire personnel, and directing City Staff to engage with vendors and contractors with the intent of introducing an ordinance within six (6) months requiring City vendors and contractors to ban the box from their employment applications in order to do business with the City.
Body
WHEREAS, the City of Madison is committed to fostering a community where all members of our community have equitable employment opportunities, and

WHEREAS, the City can lead by example to ensure that employers can make excellent hiring and employment decisions based on relevant work qualifications without any opportunity to improperly consider a person's criminal record, and

WHEREAS, the City seeks to reduce recidivism through family supporting employment opportunities for qualified candidates with previous criminal histories; and

WHEREAS, the City has historically included questions regarding criminal history on job applications, and

WHEREAS, questions regarding criminal history may have an adverse impact on the city applicant pools; and

WHEREAS, criminal history may be ascertained during later stages of the employment process when a finalist for the vacant position has been determined it is determined such information is necessary; and

WHEREAS, other states and municipalities have passed laws that prohibit the use of questions regarding an applicant's criminal history on an employment application, called Ban the Box policies; and

WHEREAS, the City of...