When Congress enacted the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 in December 2019, Congress included the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act of 2019 (the Act). The Act, in relevant part, restricts federal contractors from requesting criminal history information from certain job applicants until after the applicant has received a conditional offer of employment. While the Act was enacted back in 2019, it applies only “to contracts awarded pursuant to solicitations issued after” December 20, 2021.

As contractors are now starting to be awarded contracts subject to the Act, Husch Blackwell attorneys Sonni Nolan, Michael Schrier and Tracey O’Brien provide a reminder of the Act’s requirements.