Latest news with #FairChanceAct
New York Post
20-07-2025
- Politics
- New York Post
Democrat running for NY district attorney ‘encourages' criminals to apply for job on staff
Crime doesn't pay — so try politics instead. The Democrat running to be Nassau County's top prosecutor encouraged convicted criminals to apply for a job on her campaign that could pay them up to $7,000 a month. District Attorney candidate Nicole Aloise's campaign posted an ad seeking a 'communications director' on job website as she tries to unseat Republican incumbent District Attorney Anne Donnelly. Advertisement 3 District Attorney candidate Nicole Aloise's campaign posted an ad seeking a 'communications director' on job website Nicole Aloise/Instagram 'People with a criminal record are encouraged to apply,' the job posting says, offering a salary range of between $6,000-$7,000 a month. The call for ex-cons to apply for a job sticks out like a sore thumb in an otherwise traditional job description that notes applicants should have previous experience in media relations, dealing with New York journalists or working on campaigns. Advertisement Any top media manager's goal is to get the candidate favorable press coverage. Donnelly called the advertisement more than politically tone-deaf, labeling the job solicitation 'dangerous,' and claiming it exposes Aloise's 'criminal-first agenda' that puts criminals over law-abiding citizens. 3 'People with a criminal record are encouraged to apply,' the job posting says. Indeed 'The District Attorney is responsible for safeguarding confidential information, ensuring justice, and holding criminals accountable—not inviting them into the heart of a campaign for Nassau County's top law enforcement post,' Donnelly told The Post. Advertisement 'Only someone deeply out of touch would prioritize hiring convicted criminals over qualified, law-abiding citizens for such a sensitive role.' Aloise is a career prosecutor who spent 16 years working in both the Queens and Nassau district attorneys' offices. Some municipalities bar employers from discriminating against convicted criminals. 3 Aloise is a career prosecutor who spent 16 years working in both the Queens and Nassau district attorneys' offices. Nicole Aloise/Instagram Advertisement New York City has the 'Ban the Box' law, also known as the Fair Chance Act, which prohibits employers from asking about an applicant's criminal history or conducting background checks until a conditional job offer is made. That means employers can't include questions about criminal records on job applications or during initial interviews. But Donnelly said explicitly singling out criminals — not law abiding citizens — to apply for a job with a DA candidate whose mission is to enforce the law is beyond the pale. 'This isn't just a campaign misstep—it's a window into Nicole Aloise's dangerous worldview,' Donnelly said. 'Hiring criminals to help run her campaign? That's who she is. Nassau residents can't afford to hand the keys to the DA's Office over to someone who embraces that kind of reckless ideology.' Aloise didn't immediately return a phone message or email seeking comment. Donnelly touted her own prosecutorial record to make Nassau one of the safest counties in America, while fighting to repeal New York's cashless bail law. 'If you want safety, accountability, and common sense in your District Attorney, I'm proud to be the choice of Nassau neighbors who want to keep Nassau the safest community in the U.S.A,' Donnelly said.
Forbes
16-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
From Hiring To Layoffs: Washington's 2025 Employment Law Updates
Washington's 2024–2025 legislative session reinforces the state's leadership in employment ... More regulation. With these new laws taking effect over the coming year and a half, employers should begin preparing now. Washington lawmakers closed out the 2024–2025 legislative session with a series of bills that directly affect employers operating in the state. The new legislation touches nearly every stage of the employment lifecycle, from job postings and background checks to layoff procedures and personnel file access. The following measures have been passed by the Washington State Legislature and, with the exception of SB 5408, have already been signed into law by Governor Bob Ferguson. SB 5408, which refines Washington's pay transparency law, is expected to be signed by May 20, 2025. Employers should review the legislation closely and begin preparing for the effective dates ahead. Washington's Fair Chance Act has been significantly amended through HB 1747, imposing new requirements on employers that consider criminal history in employment decisions. The law prohibits policies that categorically exclude individuals based on conviction type, such as blanket bans on all felonies, and instead requires employers to assess the relevance of a conviction on a case-by-case basis. To proceed with an adverse employment decision based on criminal history, employers must now demonstrate a legitimate business reason for doing so. This includes assessing and documenting how the conviction impacts the specific role. Relevant factors include: If an employer intends to rely on a criminal record to support a potentially adverse decision, the following steps are required: These obligations apply whether criminal history is obtained internally or through a background check provider. Effective Date: Employer Takeaways: Senate Bill 5501 prohibits employers from requiring a driver's license as a condition of employment unless driving is an essential function of the job or relates to a legitimate business purpose. The bill targets unnecessary barriers to employment, particularly for applicants with suspended licenses or those who don't drive due to economic or disability-related reasons. Effective Date: July 27, 2025 Employer Takeaways: Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 5480 prohibits hospitals, physician groups, and collection agencies from reporting medical debt to credit bureaus. Any medical debt reported in violation of this law is void and unenforceable. Violations are enforceable under the Washington Consumer Protection Act and may result in litigation or civil penalties. All medical debt is excluded from Washington credit reports regardless of balance, age, or status. Effective Date: July 27, 2025 Employer Takeaways: House Bill 1308 requires employers to provide former employees with a copy of their personnel file and, upon request, a written statement indicating the employee's discharge date and the reason for separation. Employers must respond to such requests within 21 calendar days or face penalties for noncompliance. Effective Date: July 27, 2025 Employer Takeaways: House Bill 1395 updates Washington's background check requirements for individual providers and home care agency workers. The law aims to reduce redundancy in the review process and support more efficient hiring. Employers are prohibited from initiating a new character, competence, and suitability (CCS) review when a name and date of birth or fingerprint-based background check reveals a previously reviewed 'nonautomatically disqualifying conviction' or negative action. A new review is also not required if more than ten years have passed since the last such conviction or action. These provisions help eliminate unnecessary re-reviews. The law also clarifies that certain older convictions, including second- and third-degree assault, robbery, theft, and extortion, are no longer automatic disqualifiers once a designated time period has passed. Employers may still consider these convictions using a discretionary assessment. Additionally, qualified applicants may begin working for up to 30 days while awaiting a CCS determination, as long as no automatically disqualifying offenses appear on their background check. Employers must notify clients or their representatives of the provisional status and provide an opportunity to decline services during this period. Effective Date: July 27, 2025 Employer Takeaways: Senate Bill 5525 establishes Washington's state-level version of the WARN Act. Employers with 50 or more employees must provide at least 60 days' advance written notice to affected employees and the Employment Security Department before implementing a mass layoff or business closure. Employers must also notify employee representatives, such as unions. The law imposes civil penalties and mandates back pay and benefits for noncompliance. It also includes important carveouts: employees on Paid Family or Medical Leave may not be included in a layoff unless specific exceptions apply, and there are limited exemptions for layoffs related to natural disasters, short-term projects, and multiemployer construction work. Effective Date: July 27, 2025 Employer Takeaways: Substitute Senate Bill 5408 amends Washington's Equal Pay and Opportunity Act (EPOA) to clarify employer obligations amid growing pay transparency litigation. The bill provides a grace period, through July 27, 2027, allowing employers to correct noncompliant job postings within five business days of receiving written notice. If corrected in time, the employer avoids penalties or statutory damages. The bill also confirms that employers are not liable for unauthorized third-party repostings of job listings. For fixed wage positions, employers may disclose a single wage amount rather than providing a range. In addition, courts may award statutory damages ranging from $100 to $5,000 per violation, taking into account factors such as the employer's size, the nature of the violation, and the need to deter future noncompliance. Litigation is ongoing regarding who qualifies as a 'job applicant' under the law. The Washington Supreme Court is currently reviewing whether individuals who apply solely to trigger litigation are entitled to damages. The outcome could affect class action exposure for employers. Effective Date: July 27, 2025 (if signed by May 20, 2025) Employer Takeaways: Washington's 2024–2025 legislative session reinforces the state's leadership in employment regulation. With these new laws taking effect over the coming year and a half, employers should begin preparing now. From adjusting job postings and background check protocols to refining layoff procedures and personnel record access, these changes create new compliance risks while also offering opportunities to modernize employment practices. Employers that act early, by reviewing policies, engaging legal counsel, and coordinating with background screening partners, will be better positioned to navigate these changes confidently. Taking a proactive approach not only helps reduce legal risk but also strengthens fair hiring, pay transparency, and workforce equity across the organization.
Yahoo
07-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
CRST Expedited settles claim it pulled job offer over criminal history
Iowa-based carrier CRST Expedited Inc. has agreed to pay $100,000 and take corrective actions to settle claims that it unlawfully rescinded a job offer based on the applicant's criminal history, according to the California Civil Rights Department. California's Fair Chance Act requires employers to show a direct relationship between the duties of a job and an arrest or conviction before rejecting an otherwise qualified candidate, the department said in a news release on Thursday. CRST, which admits no wrongdoing in the settlement, will pay $100,000 to the unnamed job candidate, train employees involved in employment decisions on the Fair Chance Act and ensure company policies comply with the law, including a provision that convictions more than 7 years old are not considered. The California law forbids most employers from asking about criminal history before making a job offer and limits disqualifying convictions to those that have a 'direct and adverse' bearing on the job. According to the Civil Rights Department, almost a third of adults in California have an arrest or conviction that can harm their ability to get a job.A CRST Expedited applicant in Southern California claimed to have been rejected for a senior leadership role based on the candidate's criminal history, the department stated. The company, a subsidiary of Cedar Rapids, Iowa-based CRST The Transportation Solution Inc., allegedly did not conduct an individualized assessment of the criminal past and 'failed to consider the nature and gravity of the offense, the time that had passed, and how the offense related to the job being sought.' The department did not state the nature of the conviction. 'Everyone deserves an opportunity to make a living,' Civil Rights Department Director Kevin Kish said in the release. 'The Fair Chance Act helps ensure every Californian can work and contribute to their communities.' CRST did not immediately respond to a FreightWaves email seeking comment. Family-owned CRST is a $2 billion nationwide enterprise, according to the company's Court rules CRST team drivers must be paid for some hours in sleeper berth CRST, back in the acquisition game, buys Larkin's BCB Transport The post CRST Expedited settles claim it pulled job offer over criminal history appeared first on FreightWaves.
