A number of states have recently passed or approved laws that would impact whether or not potential employers are informed of a potential employee’s criminal background. The case can be made for both sides. On one hand, this could be unfair to potential employers, and on the other, if they know the information, they could immediately and unfairly exclude perfectly adequate employees who need another chance. In fact, being excluded at every turn could lead them back into a life of crime.
In his recent interview on the Jim Bohannon Show, Profit Expert Fred Parrish gave insight into the reality of the law from both perspectives.
“There are 30 states and more than 150 cities and counties around the country that have those ‘no-box’ laws…but the way that law works in most areas, is that you cannot ask the question during the interview. Only after a conditional offer has been made for employment. So then, you can gather additional information after the fact, but then you have to review that information really on a case-by-case basis.”
So, in reality, it’s that they can’t exclude ex-convicts completely. Employers must go through the interview process, and once an offer is made, they are then able to do the background checks. For employers who plan to still abuse their power, there will be lawful consequences. However, stats are somewhat on the side of the convicts when it comes to employment.
“The job retention of these ex-offenders is as high as 90%,” Parrish says. “In a lot of cases, these individuals are so happy to be in a position of employment, to have another opportunity to get that quote-unquote, ‘second chance,’ a lot of time they are model employees.”
