The City of Buffalo, its vendors, and any employer located within
the City of Buffalo limits shall not ask questions regarding or pertaining
to an applicant's prior criminal conviction on preliminary employment
application. Consideration of the candidate's prior criminal
convictions shall take place only after an application is submitted
and to begin during an initial interview, or thereafter.
For purposes of this article, the following terms shall have
the following meanings:
APPLICANT
Any person considered or who requests to be considered for
employment by an employer.
CITY
The City of Buffalo, its departments, administrative units
and related agencies.
CONVICTION
Any sentence imposed by a court of competent jurisdiction
arising from a verdict or plea of guilty, including a sentence of
incarceration, a suspended sentence, a sentence of probation, an unconditional
discharge, or diversion program.
EMPLOYER
The City or any person, partnership, corporation, labor organization,
not-for-profit, or association having 15 or more employees.
EMPLOYMENT
An occupation, vocation, job, work for pay, including temporary
or seasonal work, contracted work, contingent work, and work through
the services of a temporary or other employment agency; or any form
of vocational or educational training with or without pay. "Employment"
shall not, for the purposes of this chapter, include employment by
any government law enforcement agency.
INTERVIEW
Any direct contact by the employer with the applicant, whether
in person or by telephone, to discuss the employment being sought
or the applicant's qualifications.
VENDOR
Any vendor, contractor, or supplier of goods or services
to the City of Buffalo, including vendors located outside the City
of Buffalo limits.