A number of city and state legislators have recently taken a new measure into consideration that will affect employee recruiting practices. Referred to as the "ban the box" movement, the reform would prevent employers from asking potential employees on their job applications whether they have ever been convicted of a crime.

In the past month, New Jersey, Minnesota and Buffalo, N.Y., have all voted to implement the initiative, and many more communities are currently considering it. The reform gets its name from the box frequently included on applications, which asks job seekers to write a check mark if they have been convicted.

The purpose of the "ban the box" reform movement is to give former offenders a fair chance to enter the workforce. However, it does not restrict businesses from eventually performing a background check on all potential employees. States simply want to give everyone an opportunity to reach the interview stage of a job application, wherein they can explain any previous misconduct, according to Lexology.

"It allows an applicant to get through the door without judgment, but it does not allow them to hide [convictions]," said Buffalo Council President Richard Fontana, as reported by The Buffalo News.

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