Waterloo Approves Final Amendments to Ban The Box Ordinance

On Monday, the Waterloo City Council passed the amended final reading of a local ban the box ordinance by a vote of 4-3. The ordinance goes into effect July 1, 2020. Multiple council members argued that this ordinance violates state law while another council member said it was for the citizens of Waterloo. Some key provisions of the ordinance include: discriminatory practice to include a criminal inquiry on any application, applies to all employers with one or more employees, penalties for employers between $750-$1,000 that the employer would have to pay directly to the complainant, and prevents employers from asking questions about criminal history in the middle of the hiring process. ABI will continue to oppose this ordinance and is currently exploring litigation options. Read more: The Courier: Waterloo puts 'ban the box' on the books.