When I applied for a job as a waiter, I was told by the restaurant manager that he wanted to run a criminal history check on me. Is he allowed to do that?

Yes, it is lawful for employers to conduct criminal background checks. There are numerous restrictions, however, on what the employer can ask for and how the employer can ask for it.

Source: James W. Bucking is an attorney at the Boston law firm of Foley Hoag. He can be contacted at jbucking@foleyhoag.com.