Latimer signs order to ‘Ban the Box’ for county job applicants

People looking for jobs with county government in Westchester will no longer have to reveal their criminal history.
Westchester County Executive George Latimer signed an executive order Saturday to “Ban the Box” on all applications. 
“No longer will applicants be automatically eliminated by dint of their past record - if their application warrants an interview, past details can be covered alongside evaluating all the pluses and minuses of an employment candidate,” Latimer posted on his Facebook page. 
Anthony Barton had been lobbying to ban the box after serving jail time for robbery at age 17. 
“I went to 13 to 14 job interviews before I graduated from college. And I got turned down from every one,” said Barton. 
He then decided to open Anthony’s Barber Shop in White Plains, where he has tried to help others like himself find life after being locked up. 
Since opening his shop five years ago, Barton says he's hired about two dozen former felons and licensed and trained many others in barbering. 
He says no one has been arrested on any new charges. 
“Maybe some of the best workers you'll find are people who are incarcerated because they know the value of freedom,” said Barton. 
More than 150 other cities and counties across the country have already banned the box, including New York City and Yonkers.