Under House Bill 689, Pennsylvania legislators have clarified employer hiring and background screening responsibilities. The bill went into effect on February 12, 2024.

Employers were previously permitted to consider only job-related misdemeanors or felony convictions when making hiring decisions. However, HB689 further clarifies the immunity from liability for employers when any claim related to the legal use of criminal record history information is disclosed by an applicant voluntarily.

This bill also provides that employers are not permitted to use any information from a criminal history record that has been granted limited access or expunged (unless the use is required by federal law).

Full details are available here.

This article is informational and does not constitute legal or financial advice. Consult with an employment lawyer or accountant for additional clarification on how these changes impact your company.