The City of Newark has a Ban the Bow law. City job applications, private employers, local licensing, and housing cannot ask about your criminal history. Questions regarding an applicant’s criminal history must be delayed until a conditional offer of employment is made. The employer can only go back eight years for indictable offenses and five years for disorderly persons convictions or municipal ordinance convictions.
Because of the State of New Jersey's Opportunity to Compete Act, applying to public and private employers with 15 or more employees, this local ordinance is largely superseded by state law.