Phil Ammann
State Sen. Jeff Clemens, citing the need to increase employment opportunities and reduce recidivism, filed a bill seeking to limit employers asking job applicants about their criminal records. The Lake Worth Democrat filed SB 214 this week for consideration during the 2015 legislative session.
If passed, the law would ban employers from asking about job applicant’s criminal histories on preliminary applications.
Once an employer screens applicants for minimum requirements of the job, they would then be able to ask about such information.
“Reducing barriers to employment for people who have a criminal history and lowering unemployment rates in communities that have concentrated numbers of people who have a criminal history are issues of statewide concern,” the bill says.
