This Law Firm Publication by Fisher and Phillips LLP discusses a strict "Ban the Box" law passed in November 2015 by the Portland, Oregon City Council. The law prohibits Portland employers with six or more employees from asking job applicants about their criminal history at any time until after a conditional job offer is made, including in the employment application or at the job interview. The law defines a conditional job offer as an employment offer solely conditioned on the results of a criminal background check or conditioned on something expressly communicated to an applicant when a job offer is made. The new law takes effect on July 1, 2016.