‘Ban the Box’ Hiring Law Now Applies to U.S. Federal Contracts

Federal contractors no longer can inquire about an applicant’s criminal history before extending a conditional job offer to work on a government contract, a new prohibition that stems from a Trump-era defense policy law.

The restriction, tucked into the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal 2020, took effect Dec. 20, and a proposed rule that could guide compliance is expected to be released in coming days.

Attorneys who represent companies that do business with the federal government said the “ban the box” law won’t require major changes for many contractors because they already navigate a patchwork of similar state laws ...