What does the Ban-the-Box Compliance Checker do?

It returns a tailored Fair Chance hiring checklist based on the state, optional city or county, and position type you enter. The checklist covers when you may ask about criminal history, what notices are required, and any individualized-assessment rules.

Is the Ban-the-Box Compliance Checker free?

Yes. It requires a free Ask HR AI account so generated checklists can be associated with a user session and abuse can be prevented.

Which jurisdictions does the checker cover?

It covers all 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and major local jurisdictions with Fair Chance ordinances, including New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Seattle, and Austin.

Can I download or print the checklist?

Yes. Once the checklist is generated, you can print it or download it as a Markdown file.

Is the generated checklist legal advice?

No. The checklist is general guidance and includes a reminder to confirm every output with qualified employment legal counsel before acting.

All resourcesPractitioner tool

Ban-the-Box Compliance Checker

Enter the work location and position type. Ask HR AI returns a tailored Ban-the-Box / Fair Chance compliance checklist: when you may ask about criminal history, what notices are required at each stage, and any individualized-assessment rules — applying the strictest federal, state, and local layer.

Short answer

This checker generates a Ban-the-Box / Fair Chance hiring checklist for a specific state, city, and position.

Enter the work state, an optional city or county, and the position type, and the tool returns when you may ask about criminal history, what notices are required at each hiring stage, and any individualized-assessment rules — applying the strictest applicable federal, state, and local layer. It covers all 50 states, D.C., and major local Fair Chance ordinances. The checklist is general guidance, not legal advice, and can be printed or downloaded.

Practitioner tool

Ban-the-Box Compliance Checker

Enter the work location and position type. Ask HR AI returns a tailored checklist: when you may ask about criminal history, what notices are required at each stage, and any individualized-assessment rules — applying the strictest federal, state, and local layer.

Required inputs

State *

City or county

Optional — used to apply local Fair Chance overlays.

Position type *

Include anything that could trigger a carve-out (patient contact, firearm, driving, fiduciary access).

Requires a free Ask HR AI account to prevent abuse and to associate generated checklists with a user. Create one on the Resources page.

Compliance checklist will appear here

Fill in state, optional city or county, and position type — then generate.

Example output

What a generated checklist looks like

Below is a condensed example for a non-safety-sensitive role in California. The live tool produces a full, jurisdiction-specific version with citations and a day-by-day timeline.

General guidance, not legal advice. Confirm with employment counsel before acting.

Application stage

Do not include a conviction-history question on the initial application.
Remove any "clean record" requirement from the job posting.
Keep the application focused on qualifications, not criminal history.

Conditional offer stage

Conduct the individualized assessment only after a conditional offer is made.
Identify the specific conviction(s) being considered and their direct relationship to the job.

Pre-adverse action

Send the pre-adverse notice with a copy of the report and the CFPB Summary of Rights.
Provide at least five business days for the candidate to respond.

Final adverse action

Issue the final adverse action notice only after the response window closes.
Include notice of the right to file a complaint with the California Civil Rights Department.

View the full Ban-the-Box laws matrix