As reported in the Baltimore Sun, the Baltimore City Council passed legislation intended to help ex-convicts find jobs this week.

The “Ban the Box” bill will force Baltimore employers to wait to ask about a job candidate’s criminal history until a conditional offer has been extended. The bill passed despite an intense lobbying effort from business leaders, who said they should have the right to vet prospective employees early in the process.

The legislation requires private employers with 10 or more workers to remove from job applications a box ex-offenders must check stating they have a criminal record. Positions for which a criminal history would bar a candidate are exempt. For instance, a child care center could inquire about sexual abuse convictions, officials said.

According to the Sun, the Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake is expected to sign the legislation.

For more information, see the full story from the Sun.