Idaho Bill Could Give Ex-Felons a ‘Fair Chance’
For individuals who have been through the prison system, finding a steady job could be somewhat of a struggle. That could soon change for those individuals living in Idaho. According to KTVB, Sen. Cherie Buckner-Webb’s (D-Boise) has introduced a “Fair Chance Employment” which will "ensure that job applicants aren’t automatically eliminated — with no consideration of their qualifications — just because they have a criminal record."
Now, that doesn't mean that employers can't make their own decisions on who they hire. Once they set up an interview or give a potential employee a conditional offer, they can require a background check and decide if that individual is still a good fit.
Idaho would be joining the 24 states in the country with similar laws including Utah, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, and Nevada. A federal law is already in place too; last December, President Trump signed into law the “Fair Chance Act” This law "requires that federal agencies and contractors subject a prospective employee to a criminal background check only after a conditional job offer is made."