President Barack Obama on Monday ordered federal agencies to stop asking prospective employees about their criminal histories early in the application process, and in a speech, he said millions of Americans are prevented from joining the workforce because of the practice, reported The New York Times.

The president directed federal personnel officials to delay inquiries into criminal history until later in the hiring process so applicants are not rejected before having a chance to make a positive impression. Officials said new rules would be published in 2016 to delay requests for criminal backgrounds until the most qualified applicants are sent to a hiring manager. Exceptions will be made for law enforcement, national security and other sensitive positions.

Obama also urged Congress to pass a bipartisan bill on the subject that was introduced in September, and characterized the effort as one that sought to get Americans back to work and to help the country’s economy.

Iowa has no law that explicitly addresses the use of criminal records in making employment decisions. However, Iowa Workforce Development has issued a“Successful Interview Guide” for employers, which addresses the issue. According to the guide, arrest records alone “cannot be used to routinely exclude persons from employment,” because of the possibility that such a policy would result in racial discrimination. Disqualifying someone based on an arrest record is justified only if it appears that the person actually engaged in the conduct leading to the arrest, that the conduct is job-related and that the incident is relatively recent.

Furthermore, there are tax benefits to Iowa businesses that hire ex-offenders. There is an Iowa income tax deduction of 65 percent of the wages paid in the first 12 months of employment, with a maximum deduction of $20,000 per employee, for companies that hire ex-offenders. There also is a targeted jobs tax credit, according to the Iowa Department of Revenue.