Employment Discrimination Due to Felony

After getting out of jail, convicted felons may be concerned they will not be able to find a job. Employers typically do not want to hire convicted felons. Employment discrimination is illegal in some states, but it still occurs in others.

Laws According to States

Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, New Mexico and Washington are nine of the states that make it illegal for public employers to discriminate potential employees based on criminal record. Hawaii, Kansas, New York, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin have laws that ban criminal discrimination by public and private employers. However, the 37 other states still do not protect convicted felons from this discrimination.

Workplace Applications

Upon filling out an application for a potential job, any and all information must be disclosed on your felony in full. Typically, most employers will require all applicants to be truthful about whether they have been convicted of a felony, or have any criminal record. They then have a chance to explain the situation and why the incident occurred. Although this information usually does not help in getting a job, it is required.

Workplace Background Check

When being offered a job, an employer may require authorization for a background check. The background check will show any felony charges and could turn potential employers off from hiring. While it may be possible to deny the background check, but this could also be used as a way from the employer to deny a job.