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December 20, 2006
Minneapolis: City Might Stop Asking About Criminal History
Minneapolis Star Tribune
Last update: December 19, 2006 - 11:03 PM
City might stop asking about criminal history
A Minneapolis committee recommends keeping a criminal history question off city job applications. It's hoped more ex-cons will apply for work.
By Terry Collins, Star Tribune
Minneapolis is one step away from becoming the latest big city to stop asking about criminal records on city job application forms.
The City Council's Ways and Means/Budget Committee unanimously recommended a resolution Monday that will remove the question about someone's criminal record on city forms. It will go before the full council on Friday.
The plan is meant to increase the employment rate by encouraging those with a criminal record to apply for lower-level city jobs while reducing the recidivism rate. Minneapolis will still do criminal-background checks and likely turn down ex-cons for police and fire jobs as well as other high-level jobs that deal with money or children.
If a candidate receiving a conditional job offer is shown by background check to have a criminal record -- even as low as a misdemeanor -- they might have the opportunity to state either in person or in writing what led to the crime and what steps they are taking to avoid doing it again.
St. Paul adopted a similar hiring policy earlier this month, joining Boston and San Francisco as the only other major cities with such plans.
Council Member Elizabeth Glidden said Monday's move shows that Minneapolis is committed to giving ex-offenders, who are reluctant to apply for jobs given their past, a second chance.
"We can still do the same good job to employ a great workforce," said Glidden, who wrote the proposed resolution with Council Member Don Samuels. "I hope we can get the support of the private business community to do the same."
Samuels called Monday's move "a very important decision" and said he believes the measure will have the necessary votes to pass on Friday.
Minneapolis' and St. Paul's moves were inspired by a report in June from the Council on Crime and Justice, a Minneapolis advocacy group that supports hiring former convicts and those with arrest records as a way to fight crime.
Cheryl Morgan Spencer, community relations coordinator at the Minneapolis Urban League, made an emotional plea to the committee.
"Do you know what it feels like when someone comes begging to you for a job, but you have nothing to offer?" Morgan Spencer said. "If you want to offer people some hope, please, please consider passing this."
C2006 Star Tribune. All rights reserved. http://www.startribune.com/462/story/887061.html
Posted by lois at December 20, 2006 09:18 AM