EXECUTIVE ORDER

 

BY THE GOVERNOR:

WHEREAS:

WHEREAS:

WHEREAS:

WHEREAS:

WHEREAS:

WHEREAS:

People with criminal records suffer from pervasive discrimination in many
areas of life including employment, housing, education, and eligibility for
many forms of social service benefits; and '

Approximately 97% of those sentenced to prison will eventually return to
society, and currently over 1,300 offenders reenter into our communities
every month without employment; and

In their January 2014 Report to the General Assembly, the Special Council
on Criminal Justice Reform for Georgians recognized that requiring
prospective employees of the State of Georgia to disclose convictions 0n
the initial employment application creates a barrier to employment. The
Council appropriately recommended the implementation of “Ban the Box”
hiring policies; and

“Ban the Box” is a policy intended to improve public safety, enhance
workforce development, and provide increased state employment
opportunities for applicants with criminal convictions on their records by
removing the criminal history related questions from the initial stage of
the state employment application process. Such policies allow returning
citizens an opportunity to explain their unique circumstances in person to
a potential employer; and

“Ban the Box” hiring policies enhance Georgia’s reputation as the number
one place in which to do business by increasing qualified applicant pools
and improving the likelihood that the employer will identify the best
candidate for the position; and

Georgia is positioned to enhance its reputation as regional leader by
becoming the first state in the South to implement a fair hiring policy for
applicants with criminal records, joining thirteen others including, New
Mexico, New Jersey and Minnesota.