The City of Chicago recently made amendments to its existing 2015 ban-the-box ordinance. It took effect at the end of April 2023 and expands coverage to almost all Chicago employers.

Many updates bring the ordinance in close alignment with the Illinois Human Rights Act (IHRA). The ordinance:

How far back should you search criminal backgrounds for your applicants and employees? What are the restrictions in place? Should you search a different length for different job positions? 

Understanding the reporting period of your criminal background checks can be confusing. There is a patchwork of federal and state laws that limit how far back you can search in your background check.