Having a criminal conviction can impair your ability to get a job, rent an apartment, and receive funding for school. One study found that only 12.5 percent of employers would accept an application from someone with a criminal record. However, an Illinois law restricts when an employer may ask an applicant if they have a criminal record. Being convicted of a crime makes finding a job difficult, but not impossible, and the Job Opportunities for Qualified Applicants Act seeks to assist those convicted find employment.

Job Opportunities for Qualified Applicants Act

As of January 1, 2015, the Job Opportunities for Qualified Applicants Act (“the Act”) is in effect. The Act seeks to help qualified applicants get job interviews by restricting employers from asking about an applicant’s criminal record until the applicant receives an interview. Below are some key provisions of the Act.

A new Illinois law that goes into effect on January 1, 2015, seeks to give people with a criminal background a fair chance at employment. The Job Opportunities for Qualified Applicants Act, signed into law by Governor Quinn on July 19, 2014, prohibits employers from asking most potential employees about their criminal history during the initial stages of a job application. The law applies to employers with 15 or more employees in the previous or current calendar year.

For people with criminal backgrounds, the question about their past convictions can often bar them from jobs they may be otherwise qualified for, and make it seem like their punishment will never end. Because of this, there has been a nationwide “ban the box” movement to limit employers’ questions into applicants past until later in the application process. This would stop employers from pre-screening applicants before applicants can show that they have the necessary skills to do the job.

How the Law Works