Virginia bans asking job applicants
about criminal history
Governor Terry McAuliffe on Friday
signed an executive order making Virginia the latest U.S. state to prohibit
government employers from asking job applicants about their criminal history.
Virginia joins more than a dozen other
states in its decision to “ban the box” on job applications that prospective
employees are asked to check if they have been convicted of a crime.
An individual’s rap sheet may be
considered only if it “bears specific relation to the job for which they are
being considered,” such as child care workers, state troopers, court officers
and jail guards, said gubernatorial spokesman Brian Coy.
"In a new Virginia economy, people
who make mistakes and pay the price should be welcomed back into society and
given the opportunity to succeed,” McAuliffe said in a statement.
"This executive order will remove
unnecessary obstacles to economic success for Virginians who deserve a second
chance," the Democratic governor said.
While the restriction applies to state
hiring practices, McAuliffe said he hoped it would encourage private employers
to follow suit.
The National Employment Law Project
estimates that almost one in three adults in the United States has a criminal
record that will show up on a routine criminal background check.
The move was applauded by Virginia
Attorney General Mark Herring, who aims to improve job re-entry programs for
inmates released from jail.
"This is a responsible approach
that keeps initial background checks for sensitive jobs in state government
while ensuring that a youthful mistake or wrong decision doesn’t close the
doors of opportunity for a lifetime," Herring said.
Other states that have banned the box,
Coy said, include California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii,
Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico
and Rhode Island.
