New Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance Imposes Obligations on Employers

by Jeffrey Horton Thomas, Fox Rothschild LLP - JD Supra

Starting September 3, 2024, employers must comply with involved new requirements if they wish to consider criminal backgrounds in making hiring or promotional decisions for positions that will perform work in any unincorporated area of Los Angeles County.  The requirements — imposed by the County’s Fair Chance Ordinance — will be significantly more burdensome for employers than those under the statewide Fair Chance Act or the City of Los Angeles Fair Chance Ordinance.

Read more: https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/new-los-angeles-county-fair-chance-2782431/

Denton, Texas Considers Fair Chance Hiring Ordinance

by Alonzo Martinez - Forbes

The Denton City Council is exploring the adoption of a Fair Chance Hiring Ordinance that would restrict an employer’s inquiry into a job applicant’s criminal history. While the ordinance promotes inclusivity and provides individuals with prior criminal records a fair chance in the job market, it imposes additional compliance requirements on employers.

Read more: https://www.forbes.com/sites/alonzomartinez/2023/11/07/denton-texas-considers-fair-chance-hiring-ordinance/?sh=2f9cf31501ad

New Chamber report shows how substance use disorder contributes to workforce challenges

by Sawyer Coffey - The Bottom Line News

Kentucky continues to struggle with a major substance use disorder crisis, with devastating effects not only on public health and families but also on Kentucky’s economy and workforce. In fact, substance use disorder, or SUD, is a key reason why Kentucky has one of the lowest workforce participation rates in the nation, according to a new report by the Kentucky Chamber Center for Policy and Research titled Working Towards Recovery.

Read more: https://kychamberbottomline.com/2023/05/08/new-chamber-report-shows-how-substance-use-disorder-contributes-to-workforce-challenges/

Wow!: How US 'fair chance' laws help ex-convicts find homes

by Carey L Biron - Sight Magazine

By the time Lee "Taqwaa" Bonner got out of prison in California, he had spent 30 years behind bars and was unsure where to go.

He stayed at a halfway house for three months, but then had to find a home. Everywhere he went, doors were slammed in his face.

"I tried to move in with my younger sister, until [an official] informed me that I was putting her housing in jeopardy," Bonner, 56, told Context.

Read more: https://www.sightmagazine.com.au/columns/wow/29728-wow-how-us-fair-chance-laws-help-ex-convicts-find-homes

Philadelphia’s Fair Chance Hiring Initiative hopes to lower recidivism, provide employment for previously incarcerated

by Henry Savage - Inquirer

Hiring people who have been impacted by the justice system, whether from being incarcerated or put on parole or probation, can change a person’s life, but also reduce the chances of them returning to prison again.

However, “returning citizens” can find it difficult to get a job after being released. To combat recidivism, the Department of Commerce created the Fair Chance Hiring Initiative in 2017, a program that financially incentivizes employers to hire returning citizens and keep them employed for the long term.

Read more: https://www.inquirer.com/business/philadelphia-fair-chance-hiring-initiative-formerly-incarcerated-parole-probation.html

Bolder, Broader "Ban the Box" Laws: How to Navigate Ever-Changing Criminal History Requirements

by Brian J. Clark and Lauren R. Stocks-Smith - Venable LLP

Over the last ten years, a flurry of "ban-the-box" laws have been enacted, on the state and local level. Such laws are now being passed at the federal level. In response, many employers reevaluated how they used criminal history screens and background checks in hiring. Now, lawmakers in several jurisdictions—like New York City, Philadelphia, and Illinois—are expanding existing laws, imposing new, more stringent requirements on employers. As a second wave of "fair chance" legislation starts to form, lawsuits related to criminal history screens and background checks have also intensified. The shifting legal landscape and growing risks of litigation present challenges for organizations large and small. Prudent employers will take this opportunity to review existing practices and build a compliant, flexible system for hiring new talent.

Read more: https://www.venable.com/insights/publications/2021/08/bolder-broader-ban-the-box-laws-how-to-navigate