This past month, Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) and Congressman David Trone (R-Md.) introduced a new bill, Workforce Justice 2021. This bill would eliminate the criminal record box on job applications for public and private companies, creating significant opportunities for previous offenders to receive employment. An individual with a criminal record can have a difficult time re-entering society and finding a job that won’t judge him or her based on past mistakes. This new bill will create better opportunities for businesses, previously incarcerated individuals, and society as a whole.
There are over 70 million Americans who have an arrest or conviction record, and banning the box would ensure that they are not left behind. For many of these individuals’ first-time release from incarceration, there is a very high chance that they could end up in a reoccurring criminal cycle due to the limited opportunities available to them. This is especially true for Black individuals who are disproportionately targeted by the criminal justice system in the first place. When there is a requirement for criminal record disclosure on job applications, the box can automatically eliminate potential employees, regardless of their qualifications or character. Workforce Justice 2021 would ultimately work to get rid of automatic elimination and allow individuals to be evaluated based on their qualifications.
Waters believes in second chances, and that if a previously incarcerated person wants to change and reclaim their life, they should have the opportunity. As of now, 36 states, the District of Columbia, and over 150 cities and counties practice the “Ban the Box” policy. Many states have even taken it further to include private employment. Waters just wants to help Americans re-enter the workforce and create a more just society.
If you have a criminal record that you’re tired of disclosing on job or housing applications, Easy Expunctions might be able to rid your record of the charge, arrest, or conviction altogether. Get in touch with us to get started with a free background check—once we see what’s on your record, we’ll be able to determine what we can erase with our record-clearing software.