Jackson Mayor Tony Yarber has announced an initiative to remove the check box from city applications that asks about criminal history.Yarber was joined by City Council President De'Keither Stamps and Councilman Charles Tillman to introduce Ban the Box, which is an effort to give citizens who have a criminal record and have paid their debt to society a "fair chance" to be judged on their qualifications when applying for a job.Watch the story.The mayor said the initiative will begin as a city policy change, which will be implemented by early 2015. Yarber urged the City Council to support the effort through a resolution or ordinance so that it will remain in effect beyond the current administration. The mayor also called on businesses in the city and in the Jackson area to embrace the initiative as well.Currently 13 states and more than 70 cities in the counties have adopted similar policies, Yarber said."Research shows that supporting the employment opportunities of people with records creates safe communities, reduces childhood poverty and strengthens families," Yarber said.The policy won't prohibit background checks, Yarber said. The goal is to keep applicants from being disqualified at the beginning of the hiring process, he said.

Jackson Mayor Tony Yarber has announced an initiative to remove the check box from city applications that asks about criminal history.



Yarber was joined by City Council President De'Keither Stamps and Councilman Charles Tillman to introduce Ban the Box, which is an effort to give citizens who have a criminal record and have paid their debt to society a "fair chance" to be judged on their qualifications when applying for a job.




Watch the story.

The mayor said the initiative will begin as a city policy change, which will be implemented by early 2015. Yarber urged the City Council to support the effort through a resolution or ordinance so that it will remain in effect beyond the current administration. The mayor also called on businesses in the city and in the Jackson area to embrace the initiative as well.



Currently 13 states and more than 70 cities in the counties have adopted similar policies, Yarber said.



"Research shows that supporting the employment opportunities of people with records creates safe communities, reduces childhood poverty and strengthens families," Yarber said.



The policy won't prohibit background checks, Yarber said. The goal is to keep applicants from being disqualified at the beginning of the hiring process, he said.

