To prohibit an employer from inquiring whether an applicant for employment has been convicted of a criminal offense, except in certain circumstances.

Summary: Ban the Box Act - Makes it an unlawful employment practice for certain employers to seek information concerning a job applicant's conviction for a criminal offense.

Sets forth exceptions authorizing an employer to seek such information: (1) after a conditional offer for employment has been extended to an applicant, or (2) where the granting of employment may involve an unreasonable risk to the safety of specific individuals or the general public.

Directs the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) to issue rules indentifying factors to be considered by employers in assessing whether an individual's past criminal history poses such an unreasonable risk within defined categories of employment.

Sets forth enforcement procedures and remedies under the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Congressional Accountability Act of 1995, Government Employee Rights Act of 1991, and the rights and protections extended to presidential offices.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Ban the Box Act''.

SEC. 2. UNLAWFUL EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES RELATED TO CRIMINAL RECORD OF 
              APPLICANTS.

    (a) In General.--Except as provided in subsection (b), it shall be 
an unlawful employment practice for any employer to make inquiries of 
an applicant for employment or otherwise seek information about such an 
applicant (including through the use of any form or application) 
relating to whether such applicant has ever been convicted of a 
criminal offense.
    (b) Exception.--Notwithstanding subsection (a), an employer may 
make inquiries of an applicant or otherwise seek information about the 
applicant relating to whether such applicant has ever been convicted of 
a criminal offense--
            (1) after a conditional offer for employment has been 
        extended to an applicant; or
            (2) where the granting of employment may involve an 
        unreasonable risk to the safety of specific individuals or to 
        the general public.

SEC. 3. RULEMAKING.

    Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
Commission shall issue rules--
            (1) defining categories of employment where an individual's 
        past criminal history may involve an unreasonable risk to the 
        safety of specific individuals or to the general public; and
            (2) factors to be considered by employers in assessing 
        whether an individual's past criminal history poses such an 
        unreasonable risk.

SEC. 4. ENFORCEMENT.

    (a) Employees Covered by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 
1964.--
            (1) In general.--The powers, procedures, and remedies 
        provided in sections 705, 706, 707, 709, 710, and 711 of the 
        Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. 2000e-4 et seq.) to the 
        Commission, the Attorney General, or any person, alleging a 
        violation of title VII of that Act (42 U.S.C. 2000e et seq.) 
        shall be the powers, procedures, and remedies this title 
        provides to the Commission, the Attorney General, or any 
        person, respectively, alleging an unlawful employment practice 
        in violation of this title against an employee described in 
        section 5(2)(A), except as provided in paragraphs (2) and (3).
            (2) Costs and fees.--The powers, remedies, and procedures 
        provided in subsections (b) and (c) of section 722 of the 
        Revised Statutes of the United States (42 U.S.C. 1988), shall 
        be the powers, remedies, and procedures this title provides to 
        the Commission, the Attorney General, or any person, alleging 
        such a practice.
            (3) Damages.--The powers, remedies, and procedures provided 
        in section 1977A of the Revised Statutes of the United States 
        (42 U.S.C. 1981a), including the limitations contained in 
        subsection (b)(3) of such section 1977A, shall be the powers, 
        remedies, and procedures this title provides to the Commission, 
        the Attorney General, or any person, alleging such a practice 
        (not an employment practice specifically excluded from coverage 
        under section 1977A(a)(1) of the Revised Statutes of the United 
        States).
    (b) Employees Covered by Congressional Accountability Act of 
1995.--
            (1) In general.--The powers, remedies, and procedures 
        provided in the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 (2 
        U.S.C. 1301 et seq.) to the Board (as defined in section 101 of 
        that Act (2 U.S.C. 1301)), or any person, alleging a violation 
        of section 201(a)(1) of that Act (2 U.S.C. 1311(a)(1)) shall be 
        the powers, remedies, and procedures this title provides to 
        that Board, or any person, alleging an unlawful employment 
        practice in violation of this title against an employee 
        described in section 5(2)(B), except as provided in paragraphs 
        (2) and (3).
            (2) Costs and fees.--The powers, remedies, and procedures 
        provided in subsections (b) and (c) of section 722 of the 
        Revised Statutes of the United States (42 U.S.C. 1988), shall 
        be the powers, remedies, and procedures this title provides to 
        that Board, or any person, alleging such a practice.
            (3) Damages.--The powers, remedies, and procedures provided 
        in section 1977A of the Revised Statutes of the United States 
        (42 U.S.C. 1981a), including the limitations contained in 
        subsection (b)(3) of such section 1977A, shall be the powers, 
        remedies, and procedures this title provides to that Board, or 
        any person, alleging such a practice (not an employment 
        practice specifically excluded from coverage under section 
        1977A(a)(1) of the Revised Statutes of the United States).
            (4) Other applicable provisions.--With respect to a claim 
        alleging a practice described in paragraph (1), title III of 
        the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1381 et 
        seq.) shall apply in the same manner as such title applies with 
        respect to a claim alleging a violation of section 201(a)(1) of 
        such Act (2 U.S.C. 1311(a)(1)).
    (c) Employees Covered by Chapter 5 of Title 3, United States 
Code.--
            (1) In general.--The powers, remedies, and procedures 
        provided in chapter 5 of title 3, United States Code, to the 
        President, the Commission, the Merit Systems Protection Board, 
        or any person, alleging a violation of section 411(a)(1) of 
        that title, shall be the powers, remedies, and procedures this 
        title provides to the President, the Commission, such Board, or 
        any person, respectively, alleging an unlawful employment 
        practice in violation of this title against an employee 
        described in section 5(2)(C), except as provided in paragraphs 
        (2) and (3).
            (2) Costs and fees.--The powers, remedies, and procedures 
        provided in subsections (b) and (c) of section 722 of the 
        Revised Statutes of the United States (42 U.S.C. 1988), shall 
        be the powers, remedies, and procedures this title provides to 
        the President, the Commission, such Board, or any person, 
        alleging such a practice.
            (3) Damages.--The powers, remedies, and procedures provided 
        in section 1977A of the Revised Statutes of the United States 
        (42 U.S.C. 1981a), including the limitations contained in 
        subsection (b)(3) of such section 1977A, shall be the powers, 
        remedies, and procedures this title provides to the President, 
        the Commission, such Board, or any person, alleging such a 
        practice (not an employment practice specifically excluded from 
        coverage under section 1977A(a)(1) of the Revised Statutes of 
        the United States).
    (d) Employees Covered by Government Employee Rights Act of 1991.--
            (1) In general.--The powers, remedies, and procedures 
        provided in sections 302 and 304 of the Government Employee 
        Rights Act of 1991 (42 U.S.C. 2000e-16b, 2000e-16c) to the 
        Commission, or any person, alleging a violation of section 
        302(a)(1) of that Act (42 U.S.C. 2000e-16b(a)(1)) shall be the 
        powers, remedies, and procedures this title provides to the 
        Commission, or any person, respectively, alleging an unlawful 
        employment practice in violation of this title against an 
        employee described in section 5(2)(D), except as provided in 
        paragraphs (2) and (3).
            (2) Costs and fees.--The powers, remedies, and procedures 
        provided in subsections (b) and (c) of section 722 of the 
        Revised Statutes of the United States (42 U.S.C. 1988), shall 
        be the powers, remedies, and procedures this title provides to 
        the Commission, or any person, alleging such a practice.
            (3) Damages.--The powers, remedies, and procedures provided 
        in section 1977A of the Revised Statutes of the United States 
        (42 U.S.C. 1981a), including the limitations contained in 
        subsection (b)(3) of such section 1977A, shall be the powers, 
        remedies, and procedures this title provides to the Commission, 
        or any person, alleging such a practice (not an employment 
        practice specifically excluded from coverage under section 
        1977A(a)(1) of the Revised Statutes of the United States).
    (e) Employees Covered by Section 717 of the Civil Rights Act of 
1964.--
            (1) In general.--The powers, remedies, and procedures 
        provided in section 717 of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 
        U.S.C. 2000e-16) to the Commission, the Attorney General, the 
        Librarian of Congress, or any person, alleging a violation of 
        that section shall be the powers, remedies, and procedures this 
        title provides to the Commission, the Attorney General, the 
        Librarian of Congress, or any person, respectively, alleging an 
        unlawful employment practice in violation of this title against 
        an employee or applicant described in section 2(2)(E), except 
        as provided in paragraphs (2) and (3).
            (2) Costs and fees.--The powers, remedies, and procedures 
        provided in subsections (b) and (c) of section 722 of the 
        Revised Statutes of the United States (42 U.S.C. 1988), shall 
        be the powers, remedies, and procedures this title provides to 
        the Commission, the Attorney General, the Librarian of 
        Congress, or any person, alleging such a practice.
            (3) Damages.--The powers, remedies, and procedures provided 
        in section 1977A of the Revised Statutes of the United States 
        (42 U.S.C. 1981a), including the limitations contained in 
        subsection (b)(3) of such section 1977A, shall be the powers, 
        remedies, and procedures this title provides to the Commission, 
        the Attorney General, the Librarian of Congress, or any person, 
        alleging such a practice (not an employment practice 
        specifically excluded from coverage under section 1977A(a)(1) 
        of the Revised Statutes of the United States).

SEC. 5. DEFINITIONS.

    As used in this Act--
            (1) the term ``Commission'' means the Equal Employment 
        Opportunity Commission;
            (2) the term ``employer''--
                    (A) has the meaning given such term in section 
                701(b) of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. 
                2000e(b)); and
                    (B) includes--
                            (i) an employing office, as defined in 
                        section 101 of the Congressional Accountability 
                        Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1301) and section 411(c) 
                        of title 3, United States Code;
                            (ii) an entity employing a State employee 
                        described in section 304(a) of the Government 
                        Employee Rights Act of 1991 (12 U.S.C. 
                        1220(a)); and
                            (iii) an entity to which section 717(a) of 
                        the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. 2000e-
                        16(a)) applies;
            (3) the term ``employee'' means--
                    (A) an employee (including an applicant), as 
                defined in section 701(f) of the Civil Rights Act of 
                1964 (42 U.S.C. 2000e(f));
                    (B) a covered employee (including an applicant), as 
                defined in section 101 of the Congressional 
                Accountability Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1301);
                    (C) a covered employee (including an applicant), as 
                defined in section 411(c) of title 3, United States 
                Code;
                    (D) a State employee (including an applicant) 
                described in section 304(a) of the Government Employee 
                Rights Act of 1991 (12 U.S.C. 1220(a)); or
                    (E) an employee (including an applicant) to which 
                section 717(a) of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 
                U.S.C. 2000e-16(a)) applies; and
            (4) the term ``person'' has the meaning given such term in 
        section 701(a) of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. 
        2000e(a)).

SEC. 6. EFFECTIVE DATE.

    This Act shall take effect beginning 1 year after the date of the 
enactment of this Act.