Governor Ralph Northam signed HB872 on May 21, 2020, which takes effect on July 1, 2020.  The law decriminalizes simple marijuana possession and provides a civil penalty of $25.00. As part of the bill, employers are prohibited from requiring job applicants to disclose information regarding an arrest, criminal charge or conviction related to possession of marijuana. For more detail on the law, go here.

The Maryland General Assembly passed Senate Bill 839/House Bill 994, The Criminal Record Screening Practices Act, in March of 2019. In May 2019, the Governor vetoed the Bill. And on January 30, 2020, the General Assembly voted to override the Governor’s veto. So, Maryland joins multiple other states, cities, and municipalities which ban-the box on employment applications.

Pennsylvania amended section 6344(m) of the Child Protective Services Law effective December 31, 2019. The law calls for specific requirements concerning background checks for employees who have contact with children, as well as a shorter exemption period to comply with the requirements, as long as specific conditions are met.

The Fair Chance Ordinance (FCO) poster was updated recently by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. Employers with 5 or more employees, City contractors, subcontractors, and leaseholders are covered by the FCO and should ensure they have posted the most current version of the FCO poster at every workplace and jobsite.  More information can be found on The City and County of San Francisco, Office of Labor Standards Enforcement website.

The City of Grand Rapids, MI passed the Human Rights Ordinance in August 2019. The law took effect December 1, 2019.  The Human Rights Ordinance covers several areas including: expanding protected classes, and discriminatory practices in hiring and tenant screening, as well as in places of public accommodation. Employers and landlords within the city should ensure they are in compliance as there are provisions within the ordinance for damages and attorney fees for those found to be in violation.