Cleveland Press

Those with felony convictions will no longer have to disclose it on their applications for the city of Cleveland.

Mayor Frank Jackson wants to remove a question about felony records from applications. It’s known as the “ban the box” movement, and Cleveland has joined roughly 30 other cities and counties in an effort to remove the question. He said it is unfair to punish ex-convicts unnecessarily for mistakes they made in the past.

Criminal background investigations will still be performed and candidates could still be denied employment based on their past. The policy is designed to help job-seekers avoid bias from hiring managers. Jackson has called on employers to give qualified ex-felons a chance if they are trying to get their life back on track.

Federal and state laws do not allow felons to be hired in certain fields like working with elderly people or children.

The initiative by Jackson will give Cleveland a larger pool of workers to choose from. It will also help non-violent felons receive a fresh start and only deny employment in cases where it is justified. Employing ex-offenders will ultimately help cut down on repeat crimes.