Democrats: Stop banning job candidates with criminal records

Star Ledger ^

[SMGFan]

TRENTON — New Jersey Democrats will introduce legislation today meant to give convicted criminals a better shot at finding work.

The measure, known as “ban the box,” would require employers to consider the qualifications of job candidates before asking about criminal histories, state Sen. Raymond Lesniak (D-Union), a primary sponsor, said Wednesday night. Giving jobs to former convicts will reduce recidivism rates, he said.

[SMGFan]

Sure, why not? /s What difference does it make?

[TexasCajun]

Aren’t the boxes reserved for felonies? ..not all criminal history.

[Psycho_Bunny]

Because getting a “fair shot” at broom-pushing vs an illegal alien is going to keep a criminal off the streets.

[TurboZamboni]

Sen. Raymond Lesniak (D-Union)

the jokes just write themselves.

[cripplecreek]

It depends on the job.

Better to let the employer know and decide for themselves. My paint crew at the factory were about 85% inmates out of a halfway house and they were awesome and made me proud to be their foreman.

[AtlasStalled]

Yes . . . and those convicted of fraud crimes should run for office and become politicians because I’m sure they’d be very good at the job.

[carriage_hill]

Is this satire? < /sarcasm>

[Tublecane]

We wouldn’t want to discriminate, would we? Eventually the only way we’ll be allowed to differentiate people will be on the basis of evilness. By which I mean how conservative you are.

[bmwcyle]

Democrats: Stop banning job Democrat candidates with criminal records

[cripplecreek]

True enough. An unknown illegal can load luggage on an airliner but you never know when a guy busted for writing bad checks might snap and kill a few hundred Americans.

[OrangeHoof]

Sen. Raymond Lesniak (D-Union) Aren't ALL Democrats?

[ZULU]

If anybody DOUBTED what kind of DAMN fools run this state, the comments from this leftist strumpet here should clear that up.

[Tublecane]

“Better to let the employer...decide for themselves”

Exactly. If they’re worth it, it would only punish businesses to “discriminate” against them. Plus, like immigrants and stupid kids they might work for less, for the thrifty minded.

[jonno]

Great idea! The congressman should try this out within his own staff - and require everyone he personally knows on pain of public humiliation - for a year.

Then report back and tell us the results...

[headsonpikes]

“My paint crew at the factory were about 85% inmates out of a halfway house and they were awesome and made me proud to be their foreman.”

Back in the ‘70s when I ran large concrete crews in Alberta and B.C., I was surprised at the number of guys who would approach me privately after some months on this very demanding job to ask me if cared that they had been in prison for murder, robbery, assault and so on. These weren’t kids, but grown men - some were truly straightened out and among the top hands on the crew.

Certainly better than college boys.

[cripplecreek]

Certainly better than college boys.

Damn straight. My crew were all non violent offenders because the factory wanted it that way. Mostly things like B&E, auto theft, fraud etc.. They would work 20 hours per day if we would let them.

I even spoke to one of their parole officers about getting him an early release from parole. I saw the guy a while back and he's doing pretty good.

[The Sons of Liberty]

Democrats: Stop banning job candidates with criminal records

Why? Democratic politicians looking for work?

[Gator113]

This is not the business of government.

ANY employer should have full discretion as to whom they choose to hire or choose not to hire, period.

No, I don’t mean they should be free to hire illegal aliens. LOL

Having said all of that, I believe there are some felons that do deserve a second chance, but it depends of the individual, the job and their given crime propensity. In other words, some felons may be worth the risk, but only the risk that an employer has knowingly accepted.

[SMARTY]

Nice- as if job hunting isn’t competetive enough! Now, hard working, educated and clean living Americans have to compete with criminals for work?!!

[svcw]

Depends on the job, depends on the felony.

[Frank_2001]

“Criminality is often a mindset that shows weakness, callousness, a sense of entitlement and a psychological inability to recognize that actions have consequences.”

Conclusion: Don’t hire Democrats!;)

[headsonpikes]

My eldest son is presently building Canadian Federal prison facilities on-site with inmate labor only; I guess it runs in the family. ;^)

[Opinionated Blowhard]

Criminality is often a mindset that shows weakness, callousness, a sense of entitlement and a psychological inability to recognize that actions have consequences.

LOL. Voting Democrat shows the same mindset.

[shotdog]

This must be a Dim agenda item. The very same issue arose two days ago in Syracuse. sd

[AEMILIUS PAULUS]

I agree businesses MUST hire convicted embezzlers as accounting and finance officers, they must hire convicted child molesters as child protective officers and supervisors, those convicted of multiple felonious assaults must be made patrol officers etc. etc. etc.

[Fresh Wind]

So, if a guy is convicted and jailed for stealing from the store he worked for, then he should be hired again to work in a store.

Yes, that makes perfect sense...

...to a liberal.

[dfwgator]

You first, Senator.

[BuffaloJack]

What moron would knowingly hire a felon?

[bravo whiskey]

so is this dumbass saying he wants ewxperienced politicians instead of on the job training?

[kcvl]

On February 9, 2010, The Wall Street Journal published a copy of a letter from Senator Robert Menendez to the Federal Reserve pushing for approval of a deal for the sale of First BankAmericano of Elizabeth where State Senator Lesniak served on the Board of Directors. A media controversy arose due to BankAmericano’s political connections. Its board members included several major campaign contributors to Menendez — among them State Senator Lesniak. Following the media controversy over the bailout request, it was disclosed that Lesniak had also received "insider loans" from the bank. Prior to the bailout request, First BankAmericano had been under financial pressure for more than a year because of mounting loan losses. A highly critical report by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.(FDIC) also found the institution had engaged in unsafe or unsound banking practices, including "operating without adequate supervision by its board of directors", an excessive level of delinquent or bad loans, inadequate earnings and insufficient coverage of its assets. First BankAmerico was closed in 2009 by the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance. Accounts were transferred to Crown Bank.

[kcvl]

N.J. Sen. Turns Down Award From Boy Scout Group Citing ‘Exclusionary’ Policy On Gays

Raymond Lesniak Calls Scouts ‘Good Organization,’ But ‘Troubled’ By Policies

August 2, 2012 9:29 PM

Sen. Raymond Lesniak (D-Union) told 1010 WINS that he withdrew his nomination for an honor from the Patriots Path Council, which includes members from Morris, Sussex, Somerset and Union counties, because he is “troubled” by the Boy Scouts’ stance.

“I was grateful for their thoughts and I do respect all the good works that the Boy Scouts have done. I was a Boy Scout as a matter of fact, but I am very troubled by their exclusionary policies towards gay boys,” he said.

Lesniak said he is especially concerned about those who might be turned away or “damaged and hurt” by not being accepted.

http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2012/08/02/nj-sen-turns-down-award-from-boy-scout-group-citing-exclusionary-policy-on-gays/

[kcvl]

Lesniak To Unveil ‘Violence Commission’ Legislation Tomorrow

December 19, 2012

New Jersey Senate Democrats
Published December 18, 2012
By: Senator Lesniak

Measure Would Declare Violence a Public Health Emergency, Support Stronger Gun Control Measures and Expand Mental Health Programs to Defuse Violence in NJ Communities

[LifeComesFirst]

Best way to help excons get jobs: abolish minimum wage and restrictions on firing.

[kearnyirish2]

“Best way to help excons get jobs: abolish minimum wage and restrictions on firing.”

You’re omitting what is probably the main reason companies don’t hire them: Protect an employer if the convicted employee has a relapse (and robs/rapes/kills someone). As long as we have so many lawyers in this country, they are waiting to pounce on this stuff. The Catholic Church never lost a lawsuit when a priest molested someone once and was arrested (they had no way of knowing, and the priest alone in those cases was responsible for his own actions); they were successfully sued when repeat offenders were moved around with their knowledge/cooperation, and they knowingly exposed other victims to known perps. The same thing would happen to employers of ex-cons; it was brought up in a recent case in NYC where a bouncer with a shady history killed a girl.

[ObamahatesPACoal]

I thought Mayor Booker did this in Newark. The Senate Candidate should attack him on hiring felons and violent illegals walking the streets.

[SaraJohnson]

I remeber when this society did not take the safety of citizens into consideration and would send in serious criminals to repair the pretty house wife’s dish washer. People were being robbed, murdered and raped by these offenders sometimes on the call, but most times later.

They are back to not jailing violent offenders. Chicago only imprisons a tiny fraction of their gun assault and murder offenders now. I would rather not have wildin’ Jr. or Freddie the axe murderer, come to my house to case the joint, thankyou.

We could make an exception for those who are not violent, are not robbers and sex offenders. But that takes a brain and we have none in America.

[Kickass Conservative]

Doesn't this go against the Democrats obsession with Background Checks?

Oh that's Right, we're talking about forcing Businesses to hire Criminals (a Democrat Voting Block). Now, if the Perp with a history of violence harms another Employee, is the State of New Jersey liable?