Employers Required to Ban the Box

On January 21, 2019, Ordinance 71074, was signed in to law. This Ordinance prohibits employers in the City of St. Louis from basing job hiring or promotion decisions on applicants’ criminal histories unless an employer can demonstrate their decision is based on all available information including the frequency, recentness and severity of a criminal history and that the history is reasonably related to or bears upon the duties and responsibilities of the position. (St. Louis City Ordinance 71074).

The Civil Rights Enforcement Agency (CREA) will have jurisdiction over all investigations into alleged violations of the Ordinance. Additionally, the Office of the License Collector is responsible for enforcement measures, which could result in the revocation of said employer’s business license.

The Effective Date of Ordinance 71074 shall be January 1, 2021, and on said date all provisions of this Ordinance shall come into full force and effect.