New law prohibits most California-based employers from inquiring about an applicant’s criminal history before making a conditional offer of employment.

California Governor Jerry Brown has signed Assembly Bill (AB) 1008, which prohibits most public and private employers with five or more employees from asking applicants about criminal conviction histories until after a conditional offer of employment has been made. The new law, which Governor Brown signed on October 14, 2017, will become effective January 1, 2018.