The large amount of workers in the state of California means that there is a greater chance for employees with a criminal past. Many of these employers provide hard work and their past record is never an issue. That doesn't mean that individuals with a criminal record won't face a bias when seeking a job or even be prevented from getting hired in the first place. To help provide more of a chance to these individuals and give them the opportunity to start over, Governor Jerry Brown recently signed a bill into law which would mandate that state and municipal governments first review if a candidate is qualified for the position before asking whether or not they have been convicted for a crime. This does not prevent them from removing them from the list of potentials later down the road. Background checks can also be conducted before hiring an individual but this will also need to be done after the individual has been reviewed for the needed qualifications.
The bill's author, Assemblyman Roger Dickinson, stated that around one out of every four adults in the state has some type of arrest or conviction record in their background. With a low economy, many individuals are already struggling to find work without having to worry about their background preventing them from doing so. Civil rights groups continue to seek greater advancement in these cases and to prevent those with a record from being discriminated against. Another change that they would like to see made is removing the box from job applications where an individual must state if they have been charged or arrested. Many employers will not even consider the option if a potential employee has marked this box. This prevents the individual from being able to obtain work and to correct their former mistakes. For legal assistance with your criminal case, contact our Pasadena criminal lawyer.