Virginia Prohibits Asking Job Applicants for Criminal Background

Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe signed an executive order:

Virginia joins more than a dozen other states in its decision to “ban the box” on job applications that prospective employees are asked to check if they have been convicted of a crime.

An individual’s rap sheet may be considered only if it “bears specific relation to the job for which they are being considered,” such as child care workers, state troopers, court officers and jail guards, said gubernatorial spokesman Brian Coy.

“In a new Virginia economy, people who make mistakes and pay the price should be welcomed back into society and given the opportunity to succeed,” McAuliffe said in a statement.

“This executive order will remove unnecessary obstacles to economic success for Virginians who deserve a second chance,” the Democratic governor said.

The restriction only includes the state’s hiring practices. Remember the next time you have to do some business with the state of Virginia you may be dealing with some kind of criminal or predator. McAuliffe hopes that private business will follow suit, but let’s hope not. What kind of insurance rate would a business get that didn’t bother to check the criminal past of its employees?

Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring applauded the effort because he wants to improve the job prospects for inmates released from jail.  Basically, the Virginia state government will be the easiest place for a criminal to gain employment.

What could go wrong?

“This is a responsible approach that keeps initial background checks for sensitive jobs in state government while ensuring that a youthful mistake or wrong decision doesn’t close the doors of opportunity for a lifetime,” Herring said.

Virginia is not alone. California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico and Rhode Island also prohibit asking about criminal history from prospective state employees.