Fort Wayne Mayor Tom Henry announced today the city will no longer ask about felony convictions on city job applications.
The city will still perform background checks, but will not require individuals to declare a felony designation up front. This allows qualified individuals more access to employment opportunities with the city.
The Mayor’s Office said in an email the change, “will not impact the safety of our community or the quality of candidates being considered by the City.”
The city says across the country, 33 states and over 150 cities and counties have adopted the measure, also known as “ban the box.”
The initiative was part of a set of recommendations from the Mayor’s Opportunity Advisory Council. The Council advises Mayor Henry in regard to current procurement and employment processes designed to promote and strengthen the City’s diversity policies and procedures.