Tag: NY Clean Slate Bill

NY Clean Slate Bill Receives Support in State Assembly March 28, 2023 New York may soon consider a new Clean Slate bill, benefiting individuals previously incarcerated for certain misdemeanors and felonies. The bill would provide them with improved job opportunities by sealing their court records. Due to increasing support at the statehouse, the negotiations for the new state budget will consider this bill, among other resolutions. There are also several supporters of the bill in the Assembly. However, it remains unknown whether it has enough supporters in the Chamber and if the Governor would sign it. Furthermore, Republican lawmakers do not support the law. According to these lawmakers, they do not believe court records should be secret. However, those in favor have noted that several other states passed Clean Slate bills. These states include Connecticut, Michigan, Utah, and California. In light of this, several others have started considering such bills too. They also commented that a prominent business group representing 3,500 companies supports it. A previous version stagnated because the state Department of Education voiced its concerns. The Department worried that sealing records could make conducting background checks on job applicants challenging. However, the current version has addressed these concerns. For example, it has exemptions that allow certain employers to continue checking applicants' criminal records. These employers include those working with vulnerable populations, such as children, people with disabilities, and the elderly. Other businesses include police departments, criminal defense attorneys, and prosecutors. The bill would seal misdemeanors three years after sentencing and after seven years for felonies. Sealing these records would give ex-offenders a second chance to reintegrate into society. In addition, it would help these individuals acquire better opportunities for jobs and housing. Finally, supporters claim the measure would help lower the recidivism rate. However, one lawmaker stated that these records should remain open. According to the lawmaker, keeping the records open would allow employers to make sound hiring decisions. Others have also voiced concerns about New York's requirements for individuals to qualify for sealing their records. For example, individuals cannot have pending cases in New York to qualify. The law also does not consider pending federal cases or cases pending in other states. It remains unclear whether the bill will gain enough support to pass due to these concerns. However, employers should prepare to adapt their hiring practices to comply with the bill's requirements if it does pass. Employment laws and regulations frequently change, making it difficult to remain consistently compliant. As such, the best way to ensure your background checks comply with all relevant laws and regulations is to partner with a background screening company you can trust. Keep your business up to date on new laws and regulations with Pre-employ’s free news resources. Contact a sales rep today. Source

Tag: NY Clean Slate Bill

NY Clean Slate Bill Receives Support in State Assembly

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