Montgomery County "Bans The Box"

Montgomery County, Maryland is the latest jurisdiction to "ban the box" by prohibiting private employers from making criminal inquiries on the initial employment application.

Montgomery's new law takes effect on January 1, 2015 and applies to employers with 15 or more full-time employees in the County. The law covers applicants seeking paid employment or vocational or educational training (regardless of compensation) in the County. Current employees seeking promotion with an employer in the County also qualify as "applicants."

The law prohibits employers from making inquiries about an applicant's criminal record on an employment application or through another medium (such as a consumer reporting agency) until the conclusion of a first interview. An "interview" is any direct contact by the employer with an applicant, whether in person or by telephone or internet communication regarding the employment sought or the applicant's qualifications. An interview, however,