A task force is exploring a change in UAB’s job-application process that is attracting national support as a way to reduce recidivism by making it easier for people with convictions to find work.
The popular initiative, known as Ban the Box, is part of a campaign to remove a yes-or-no check box to ensure that applicants are not summarily rejected because of a previous conviction. It does not eliminate background checks, eventual disclosure or supersede the discretion that managers exercise in hiring.
“We’re looking at the benefits, challenges, disadvantages and strategies for adopting what is considered a fair-chance policy for applicants to compete for employment based on their skills,” said UAB’s Chief Human Resource Officer Alesia Jones.
A task force representing the university, UAB Health System, Callahan Eye Hospital and Viva is examining the social, legal, technical and practical implications of removing the check box and will make a recommendation to the president’s cabinet, Jones said.
“UAB is a vast enterprise that operates with many levels of security to protect the well-being and privacy of employees, students and patients,” Jones said. “Whether or not we can devise a policy that could be implemented fairly and safely in all areas will require much investigation and discussion before any recommendation could be offered.”
Background
More than 100 municipalities and 23 states have adopted some variation of ban-the-box laws or policies that encourage hiring managers to assess each applicant individually and consider the age of the offense and its relevance to the job, according to the National Employment Law Project.
In February, the City of Birmingham became the only Alabama municipality to ban the box from its applications.
In April, Alabama Senate Minority Leader Quinton Ross proposed a bill to create a ban-the-box policy, which died at the end of the legislative session.
