SACRAMENTO, Calif., – Governor Jerry Brown recently signed Assembly Bill 1650, the Fair Chance Employment Act, authored by Assembly member Reginald Byron Jones-Sawyer Sr.
AB 1650 will decrease the impediments for ex-offenders to obtain employment by requiring private contractors who have state contracts to remove the conviction history box from job applications. This policy only applies to on-site constructed related jobs that fall under the State Contract Act which includes the erection, construction, alteration, repair, or improvement of any state structure, building, road, or improvement project.
Men and women released from prison often face daunting obstacles as they return home to their communities, however none can be more difficult than finding employment. According to a 2006 Huffington Post survey of over 619 Los Angeles County employers, only 20% said they would hire people with prior convictions.
Former prisoners are often concentrated in a relatively small number of distressed urban neighborhoods that lack the resources needed to assist them in the reentry process. Not surprisingly, after being unable to find a job, many end up returning to prison, a disastrous result for them, their families, communities, taxpayers, and public safety.
“Too many times, when an individual checks the box their application is automatically discarded, despite the qualifications or work experience they possess. These men and women have paid their debt to society and deserve a fair chance at finding a job, said Assembly member Jones-Sawyer.”
This policy does not prevent an employer from conducting a background check or inquiring about the conviction history of an applicant during the interview; it just delays it until after the initial employment application. The employer or agency is exempt from this policy if a position requires a background check under current law, such as if the position requires working in a criminal justice agency, seaport or airport.
Removing the conviction history box can give thousands of individuals a fair shot at employment while simultaneously decreasing the recidivism rate, increasing economic activity and improving public safety.
AB 1650 will take effect on January 1, 2015.
Assemblymember Reginald Byron Jones- Sawyer Sr. is a Democrat representing areas of Los Angeles and the communities of Huntington Park, Walnut Park and Florence- Firestone.
For more information contact: Joey Hill (916) 319-2059