The State of Employment Law: Illinois Provides the Strongest Criminal Conviction Protections in the Country

by Douglas M. Oldham, Barnes & Thornburg LLP - The National Law Review

Many states have some protections in place for employees and applicants with criminal convictions, ranging from ban-the-box laws that prohibit inquiries into criminal records until the interview stage to opinion letters that adverse employment decisions based on conviction record have an adverse impact on minority applicants and employees. But no state goes as far with these protections as Illinois, which has explicitly included conviction record as a protected class pursuant to the Illinois Human Rights Act (the “Act”).

Read more: https://natlawreview.com/article/state-employment-law-illinois-provides-strongest-criminal-conviction-protections

‘Clean Slate’ Act passes after failing to clear legislature in past years

by Maggie Dougherty - Capitol News Illinois

CHICAGO — Nearly 2.2 million people in Illinois might see eligible criminal records sealed following passage of the ‘Clean Slate’ Act during last week’s veto session.

The bill would require law enforcement agencies to automatically seal eligible criminal records every six months. Excluded from the measure are convictions for sexual violence against minors, DUIs, reckless driving, cruelty to animals and serious violent crimes, including any that would qualify for sex offender registration.

Read more: https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/clean-slate-act-passes-after-failing-to-clear-legislature-in-past-years/

Washington Employers: Prepare for Hiring Practice Shifts as New Background Check Requirements Take Effect in 2026 + 2027

Richard I. Greenberg, Susan M. Corcoran, Michael A. Griffin, Brian K. Keeley - Jackson Lewis

In the 2025 legislative session, Washington State expanded its Fair Chance Act in a number of different ways to impose additional limits on employers’ criminal background inquiries of applicants and employees. The changes go into effect for medium and large employers in July 2026 and for small employers in January 2027, giving employers plenty of time to get ready.

Employers with employees in the City of Seattle are already subject to most of these new requirements and restrictions. Therefore, the changes to state law will supplement those Seattle requirements and apply to employers throughout the State.

Read more: https://www.jacksonlewis.com/insights/washington-employers-prepare-hiring-practice-shifts-new-background-check-requirements-take-effect-2026-2027

Philadelphia Strengthens Ban-the-Box Law: Key Updates + 7 Steps for Employers

by Leanne Lane Coyle, Kelsey Schiappacasse, Fisher Phillips - JD Supra

Employers in Philadelphia may need to update their hiring processes to comply with new rules on criminal history inquiries. Recent changes to the city’s ban-the-box ordinance will significantly expand who is covered, clarify key definitions and procedures, and add more robust notice, retaliation, and enforcement provisions. Here’s what you need to know ahead of the January 6 effective date and seven steps you can take now to prepare.

Read more: https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/philadelphia-strengthens-ban-the-box-7327958/?origin=CEG&utm_source=CEG&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=CustomEmailDigest&utm_term=jds-article&utm_content=article-link

Virginia Contemplates Sweeping New Data Protection Law

by Hinshaw Law

A comprehensive data protection and privacy bill, titled the Consumer Data Protection Act, has been introduced in the Virginia state senate. With notable exceptions the proposal contains privacy and cybersecurity provisions similar to those contained in the California Consumer Privacy Act, the California Privacy Rights Act, and the E.U.’s General Data Protection Regulation.

The bill would create a number of personal data rights for consumers. Under the bill, “consumer” is defined as “a natural person who is a resident of the Commonwealth acting only in an individual or household context,” excluding persons “acting in a commercial or employment context.” Personal data means “any information that is linked or reasonably linkable to an identified or identifiable person.”

Read more: https://www.hinshawlaw.com/en/insights/privacy-cyber-and-ai-decoded-alert/virginia-contemplates-sweeping-new-data-protection-law

Philadelphia Passes Additional Amendments to Fair Chance Ordinance

by Rod Fliegel, Chad Kaldor, William Simmons, Littler - JD Supra

On October 8, 2025, with the mayor’s signature, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania enacted additional amendments to its Fair Criminal Record Screening Standards Ordinance (FCRSSO). The amendments continue the city’s trend of expanding protections for individuals with criminal records, and take effect January 6, 2026.1 Businesses operating in Philadelphia must revise required notices to applicants, employees and independent contractors, among other compliance updates.

Read more: https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/philadelphia-passes-additional-7468442/

Tractor Supply Agrees to Pay Record CCPA Penalty of $1.35 Million

By Chris Bach, Phelps Dunbar - JD Supra

On September 26, the California Privacy Protection Agency (Agency) published a Stipulated Final Order by which Tractor Supply Company agreed to pay an administrative fine of $1.35 million and take other remedial measures for its alleged violations the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA) between January 2023 and July 1, 2024.

Read more: https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/tractor-supply-agrees-to-pay-record-5635620/?origin=CEG&utm_source=CEG&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=CustomEmailDigest&utm_term=jds-article&utm_content=article-link

Council expands ‘Ban the Box’ criminal record hiring law

by Jack Tomczuk - Metro Philadelphia

City Council approved legislation Thursday that is designed to strengthen regulations governing when employers can deny a job opportunity to an applicant solely based on the person’s criminal record.

The bill builds on the city’s landmark Fair Criminal Record Screening Standards law, also known as “Ban the Box,” which was passed nearly 15 years ago. Philadelphia was among the first cities in the nation to prohibit private businesses from asking about an individual’s criminal history during the application process.

Read more: https://metrophiladelphia.com/council-ban-the-box-criminal-record-hiring/

Senate committee set to debate consumer privacy law Thursday

by Alison Kuznitz - Worcester Business Journal

Senate Democrats are ready to act on an omnibus data privacy bill that would install restrictions on the type of information that companies can collect, block the sale of personal sensitive data, and insulate children from targeted advertising.

The Senate Ways and Means Committee on Thursday approved a redrafted Massachusetts Data Privacy Act (S 2608), with the branch expected to debate and vote on the legislation on Thursday, Sept. 25.

Read more: https://www.wbjournal.com/article/senate-committee-set-to-debate-consumer-privacy-law-thursday

California Set to Restrict AI Use in the Workplace With “No Robo Bosses” Act: 4 Key Steps Employers Should Take to Comply

by Fisher Phillips, Usama Kahf, Chelsea Viola, David Walton - JD Supra

California lawmakers just passed a law that could soon require employers to not only provide notices to applicants and workers when AI is used in workplace decision-making, but would also prohibit the use of AI for certain workplace actions. The “No Robo Bosses” Act (SB 7), which aims to regulate the use of automated decision systems (ADS) in the workplace, now heads to Governor Newsom’s desk after passing the legislature late Friday. If signed, SB 7 will take effect on January 1, 2026, alongside a wave of other AI-related employment regulations that will create a complex compliance landscape for employers using AI in the workplace. Here’s what you should know about the new law and the four steps you should take to get ready for compliance.

Read more: https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/california-set-to-restrict-ai-use-in-2591672/?origin=CEG&utm_source=CEG&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=CustomEmailDigest&utm_term=jds-article&utm_content=article-link