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Changes to CORI Law

Effective in Phases Beginning in May 2012.

Job Applications

Old CORI Law: Employers could use the “box” on initial job applications to ask about criminal convictions and weed out applicants.
New CORI Law: “Ban the Box“ – Employers can’t ask about a criminal record on a job application.

Sealing Felonies

Old CORI Law: Felonies sealed after 15 years clean record.
New CORI Law: Felonies are sealed after 10 years clean record.

Sealing Misdemeanors

Old CORI Law: Misdemeanors sealed after 10 years clean record.
New CORI Law: Misdemeanors are sealed after 5 years clean record.

Waiting Period for Sealing

Old CORI Law: The waiting period for sealing starts after probation or parole.
New CORI Law: The waiting period for sealing starts at the beginning of probation or parole.

Sending Out Convictions

Old CORI Law: The CORI system sends out all convictions, unless sealed.
New CORI Law: The CORI system will automatically not send out convictions if they are eligible to be sealed.

CWOF Determinations

Old CORI Law: Continued Without Finding (CWOF) determinations are treated as convictions and can only be sealed after the sealing waiting periods.
New CORI Law: CWOF determinations are treated as non-convictions once probation is completed and the case is dismissed.

Non-Convictions

Old CORI Law: Non-Convictions (dismissed, not guilty, nolle prose) are available on CORIs.
New CORI Law: Non-Convictions (dismissed, not guilty, nolle prose) are not available on CORIs unless the employer works with vulnerable segments of the community.

Private Background Companies

Old CORI Law: The court system notifies private background companies if there is a sealed record on file.
New CORI Law: The court system will not notify private background companies if there is a sealed record on file.

CORI Inquiries

Old CORI Law: Employers can inquire about CORI at any point, without preparing an individual CORI.
New CORI Law: Employers may only inquire about CORI after obtaining a written signature from an applicant authorizing CORI check, and providing a copy of the record before questioning the employee.