Clean Slate Act Archives

Advocates for Clean Slate Act Make Renewed Push With New York Legislature December 6, 2022 Criminal justice reform advocates are making a new effort to pass Clean Slate legislation through New York's legislature. The Clean Slate legislation would seal the criminal records of many New Yorkers if passed. Unfortunately, it failed to gain passage earlier in the year before the legislature adjourned in June. This bill, dubbed the Clean Slate Act, could potentially seal the records of hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers. In addition, it would expand access for the 8.7 million New Yorkers with criminal records to jobs and housing opportunities that would otherwise be inaccessible to them. However, New York's Clean Slate Act has faced many concerns regarding what records to seal and how to do it. Under the bill's current version, misdemeanor records would automatically seal three years after sentencing and felonies after seven. Automatic sealing would not apply to sex-related crimes. To be eligible, individuals must have completed probation, parole, or post-release supervision and avoided committing additional convictions during the waiting period. However, law enforcement and employers would still see such offenses under specific circumstances. An example of such a circumstance is mandatory fingerprint background checks as a condition of employment. These renewed efforts to gain passage for the Clean Slate Act continue a several-year-long struggle that has played out in the legislature. As recently as the last legislative session, the Act expected to gain passage before last-minute opposition caused it to lose needed support. Now, the bill's supporters will attempt to gain support before the beginning of the upcoming legislative cycle. As lawmakers meet in the state capital for a hearing on workforce development in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, a coalition of companies, unions, and criminal justice reform advocates have joined in expressing their support for the measure. According to estimates, the bill could benefit as many as 2.3 million New Yorkers. Furthermore, it could vastly increase the potential labor pool for employers in the state. In New York alone, more than 18,000 people left incarceration only to find immense barriers to employment, housing, and education that would have enabled them to become productive members of society. An estimated 78 million people struggle with these barriers. That estimation means roughly one in three Americans have arrest or conviction records. Creating pathways for the previously incarcerated to rejoin the community has become very important for many. These numbers also show how employers can potentially recruit from a far larger pool of talent with measures such as these. One of the best ways for employers to start a second chance employment program is by working with an experienced background check provider to create policies to review criminal records fairly. In addition, these companies can help employers develop policies to judge how criminal records affect a candidate's ability to perform a role safely. Pre-employ makes background checks easy and reliable. Speak with a compliance expert today. Source