CNN: How a Criminal Record Affects Your Chances of Being Hired

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There are also at least 37 states and over 150 cities and counties that “have taken steps to remove barriers to employment for qualified workers with records. Of those jurisdictions, 15 states, the District of Columbia, and 21 cities and counties extend their fair chance hiring policies to private employment,” according to the National Employment Law Project.

But there are no blanket provisions or prohibitions across the board. “Laws vary in what they require of employers. … And a lot of places don’t require anything at all,” said Beth Avery, a senior staff attorney at NELP. “Even the strongest of laws is aimed at getting someone’s foot in the door – and that’s not enough.”

For instance, Avery said, states with the strongest laws prohibit employers from doing a background check until after they make a job offer to a candidate. And even then, employers may still rescind the job offer.

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Read the full article at CNN.com.