by Walker Orenstein and Peter Callaghan - SC Times
Minnesota has been considered a leader in one specific criminal justice reform known as ‘ban the box.’
In 2009, it was just the second state in the nation to prohibit public employers from including a criminal history question on initial job application forms. Then, in 2013, private employers were added to the law, a provision enacted with bipartisan support.
by Andres Jimenez-Franck, John Stretton, Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C. - JDSupra
On June 10, 2021, Governor Ned Lamont signed into law Connecticut’s “Clean Slate” law, Public Act No. 21-32. The Clean Slate law became effective January 1, 2023, and it provides for the automatic erasure of certain criminal records.
Who Is Affected?
The Clean Slate law’s automatic erasure provision affects individuals with misdemeanors and low-level felony records. Individuals who have been convicted of sexual offenses, family violence, and firearm-related crimes are not eligible for the erasure of those records under the new law.
Read more: https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/connecticut-clean-slate-law-brings-new-3669390
by Philippe A. Lebel, Michelle Lappen - Proskauer
In the weeks and months since it changed its name from the Department of Fair Employment and Housing to the California Civil Rights Department (“CRD”), the agency has been busy. Most recently, the CRD released proposed modifications to the regulations under the Fair Employment and Housing Act (“FEHA”) related to the use and consideration of criminal history information in employment decisions—a process that is already exceedingly complicated thanks to overlapping privacy laws (e.g., the California Consumer Privacy Act), the Investigative Consumer Reporting Agencies Act, and local “ban the box” ordinances in Los Angeles and San Francisco.
by Katie Wedell - USA Today
Bethany Hallam has made no secret about her past struggles with drug addiction. She ran for her seat on the Allegheny County Council in Pennsylvania on a platform of improving the county's jail and public transportation system because she'd spent time in that jail and lost her driver's license for a time.
So, she was confused in September when she attempted to book a short-term stay in Florida through Airbnb – something she'd successfully done many times in the last six years – only to have her reservation canceled and her account banned because of a past criminal conviction discovered on a background check.
Read more: https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/2022/12/11/airbnb-bans-criminal-background-checks/10751848002/
by Chris Marr, Robert Iafolla - Bloomberg Law
‘Clean Slate’ Legislation|Covid Litigation Update
Chris Marr: Laws aimed at improving the employment prospects of people with criminal records could be set to spread next year in state legislatures, after three new states passed “clean slate” measures in 2022.
Advocates are pushing New York lawmakers to pass a bill early in 2023 that would automatically seal a person’s criminal record a few years after they’ve served out their sentence, with the time period varying based on the severity of the crime. It’s one of several states with active efforts to pass such a law. California, Colorado, and Oklahoma each passed clean slate laws this year, bringing the count to eight states, according to the Clean Slate Initiative.
by Todd Bishop - Geek Wire
Amazon has made voluntary changes to its app for Flex delivery drivers in accordance with a Washington state law designed to provide a more level playing field for job applicants with criminal records, a new court filing shows.
The changes resolve an investigation launched by the office of Washington state Attorney General Bob Ferguson in March 2020, according to the Nov. 17 filing by Assistant AG Marsha Chien in King County Superior Court in Seattle.
by BS Web Team - Business Standard
As workers around the globe warm up to moonlighting, IT firms are gearing up to the challenge of identifying which of their employees are pursuing a secondary gig and whether that work is in direct conflict with the employee's primary job. But it's proving to be a challenge.
by Joy Rosenquist, Bruce Sarchet, Littler - JD Supra
2022 is coming to a close, and the new year will be here before we know it. While many states, cities and counties seem to be willing to pass employment laws and regulations at any time, the first day of a new year is still the number one day for new employment laws to take effect. 2023 will be no exception.
Read more: https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/employment-law-update-2023-new-3270628/
by Anthony Hennen, The Center Square - The Progress
HARRISBURG — The Pennsylvania General Assembly has passed criminal justice reforms meant to make it easier for people to reenter society after serving time in prison. Now, lawmakers are considering similar reforms for juvenile offenders.
As The Center Square previously reported, Pennsylvania’s Clean Slate Act passed in 2018 and has helped more than 1.2 million people seal their criminal records tied to misdemeanors. Lawmakers are currently considering extending it to low-level felonies for people who are believed highly unlikely to reoffend, and the original reform may go national as well.
by Payne & Fears, Connor Kridle, Erika Rasch - JD Supra
Drug screenings form a routine part of many hiring processes, but a new law may require employers to review this practice. The law, AB 2188, signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom on Sept. 18, 2022, amends the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) to prohibit employers from discriminating against workers in hiring, termination, or any term and condition of employment, solely because the worker consumes medical or recreational cannabis outside of the workplace.
Read more: https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/new-california-law-prevents-employers-2306719/
