Fast-Growing Job Site Expands Its Anti-Discrimination Policy To Protect Job Applicants with Criminal Histories From Discrimination In Hiring
WASHINGTON, D.C. – In a major step to encourage potential employers to “ban the box” and ensure a fair chance at employment, Glassdoor announced today that it is expanding its Terms of Use to explicitly prohibit job ads that unlawfully discriminate against people with criminal backgrounds.
The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law worked with Glassdoor on its new policy, which is applicable to employers who advertise job postings on the website.
“Without access to employment, people with criminal records are placed on a path to failure and unable to take the steps necessary to successfully reintegrate into their communities. This is especially true for African-Americans and other minorities who are overrepresented in the criminal justice system,” said Kristen Clarke, president and executive director of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. “As we continue our work to ensure equal opportunity for all citizens, we applaud Glassdoor for leading in this important effort to help eliminate restrictive and discriminatory criminal background screening practices faced by minority communities across our country.”
“We are delighted to work with the Lawyers’ Committee to further support our mission to help people everywhere find a job and company they love. Glassdoor believes everyone should be afforded access to employment and career advancement opportunities and encourages employers to provide important career pathways for all segments of our population,” said Glassdoor’s Vice President of Corporate Communications Samantha Zupan.
The updated policy released by Glassdoor states: Employers may not post any job ad that “does not comply with Title VII of the Civil Rights Act or the EEOC’s Enforcement Guidance on Employer’s Consideration of Arrest and Conviction Records in Employment Decisions, and relevant state and local laws that prohibit employers from discriminating against people with criminal backgrounds and require employers to delay inquiry into an applicant’s criminal history until later in the hiring process.”
In the last two decades, an increasing segment of the working-age population has had contact with the criminal justice system. Roughly 100 million Americans have some form of criminal record. In 2015, African Americans and Latinos made up approximately 32 percent of the U.S. population but comprised 56 percent of all incarcerated people. Increasing opportunities for stable employment for people with criminal backgrounds is critical to lowering recidivism.
More than 47 million people visit Glassdoor’s website every month, making it a go-to resource for employers and employees alike. Glassdoor holds more than 33 million reviews and insights on approximately 700,000 companies, and more than 120,000 employers have a profile on the site. Last year, Glassdoor signed onto the Obama administration’s Fair Chance Business Pledge and also created a Fair Chance Pledge badge that companies can add to their profile on their website to proudly demonstrate their commitment to maintaining hiring and training programs for individuals with criminal records. Nearly 200 employers have signed onto the Fair Chance Pledge on Glassdoor.
The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law is committed to eradicating barriers to re-entry for people with criminal histories. Recently, the Lawyers’ Committee has worked to minimize barriers faced by returning citizens seeking access to employment, housing, and educational opportunities.
About the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law:
The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization, was formed in 1963 at the request of President John F. Kennedy to involve the private bar in providing legal services to address racial discrimination. Now in its 54th year, the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law is continuing its quest “Move America Toward Justice.” The principal mission of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law is to secure, through the rule of law, equal justice for all, particularly in the areas of criminal justice, fair housing and community development, economic justice, educational opportunities, and voting rights.
Contact:
Derrick Robinson
DRobinson@lawyerscommittee.org
