‘Firm’ slap on crime queries
THE CITY IS charging a dozen businesses — including big names like Tavern on the Green, Estée Lauder and Family Dollar — with breaking a law banning companies from asking about job seekers’ criminal histories.
The Human Rights Commission is set to announce the new charges Thursday — and has already struck a deal with Yelp to pay $30,000 for shutting out a job applicant with a criminal history.
The companies being charged had online job applications that asked job seekers if they’ve ever been convicted of a crime, or job ads and listings saying applicants had to pass a criminal background check, the commission said.
“Everyone deserves a fair shot at employment, including those with a criminal record,” said Deputy Human Rights Commissioner Hollis Pfitsch.
The law that took effect two years ago makes it illegal to ask a job applicant if they have convictions on their record on an application or interview.
Businesses can only ask about criminal history after they’ve made a job offer. If they choose to yank the offer as a result, they have to provide a written explanation and give the applicant three days to respond before filling the position.
The city whacked Yelp after job seeker Tomas Ramos complained he was shut out from a job there after a background check turned up an old misdemeanor conviction.
“I was completely devastated,” he said. “I didn’t think it was fair for them to completely dismiss me.”
The company will pay $20,000 in damages to Ramos and $10,000 in fines to the city. It has agreed to train its 800 New York employees in the law and change its hiring policy nationwide to comply with the ban, the commission said.
Yelp spokeswoman Rachel Walker Youngblade said the company disputed the claims and “already extensively trains its employees on the applicable laws governing the hiring process, follows those laws, and will continue to work to ensure its policies enable individuals with criminal records to have a fair chance at employment."
The other companies declined to comment or did not respond to requests.