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Governor Bars State From Asking Job Applicants About Felony Records
CBS Chicago ^ | October 7, 2013

Posted on 10/08/2013 11:15:56 AM PDT by magellan

Illinoisans with a felony on their records will no longer be asked about their criminal past when they apply for state jobs.

Promoting the decision to what he calls "Ban the Box," State Rep. LaShawn K. Ford (D-Chicago) says the governor's administrative order doesn't mean private employers will be required to hire ex-cons. It simply means applications for state government jobs will no longer include a box indicating whether an applicant has pled guilty, or been convicted of a criminal offense, other than a minor traffic violation.

State agencies would still be allowed to conduct background checks, and request information on criminal convictions, but not until later in the process.

"I think that it's important that employers hire the best qualified person that they feel comfortable with for the job," Ford says. "Employers in private (business) or state agencies should never hire a person that appears to not be a fit for the job."

Ford gives an example of someone he knows who would benefit: a retiree who had a pocket knife in his pocket 50 years ago. As for the really bad guys, Ford says they're unlikely to apply for a legitimate job anyway.

As for himself, the lawmaker says he anticipates federal bank fraud charges against him –- unrelated to his service in the General Assembly -– being tossed out of court soon.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Government
KEYWORDS: democrats; felon; il; illinois
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I guess this means Blagojevich can get a state job once he is out of prison.
1 posted on 10/08/2013 11:15:57 AM PDT by magellan
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To: magellan

I think this law is applicable only to those who address is Chicago...like BHO...


2 posted on 10/08/2013 11:18:40 AM PDT by rovenstinez
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To: magellan

Isn’t a criminal record a positive on your resume’? Probably in Illinois, California, and Democrat Politicians


3 posted on 10/08/2013 11:20:07 AM PDT by stubernx98 (cranky, but reasonable)
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To: magellan

“You mean Convicted? No, never convicted.”


4 posted on 10/08/2013 11:20:40 AM PDT by dfwgator
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To: magellan

You’ll just have to use a proxy when making those hiring decisions. If the first name starts with “La...” or “Sha...” or has “...qua...” in it, move on to the next application.


5 posted on 10/08/2013 11:21:51 AM PDT by Paine in the Neck (Is John's moustache long enough YET?)
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To: stubernx98

They have an entire wing in the Illinois State Pen for ex-Governors.


6 posted on 10/08/2013 11:21:57 AM PDT by dfwgator
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To: magellan

You can still ask them about the 6-10 year gap in their resume. So, what were you doing in that time period?


7 posted on 10/08/2013 11:22:24 AM PDT by DManA (.)
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To: magellan

Improper actions are supposed to have consequences. The progressives are all about separating reward/effort as well as actions/consequences.


8 posted on 10/08/2013 11:22:42 AM PDT by Mich Patriot (PITCH BLACK is the new "transparent")
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To: magellan

Can we just outsource our government to somebody with common sense.


9 posted on 10/08/2013 11:22:57 AM PDT by Usagi_yo
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To: magellan

Gotta make it easier for ex-con ex-governors to find work once they’re released.


10 posted on 10/08/2013 11:24:00 AM PDT by sitetest (If Roe is not overturned, no unborn child will ever be protected in law.)
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To: magellan
Just replace the felony question with one about “savage man love”.
11 posted on 10/08/2013 11:24:04 AM PDT by fungoking (Tis a pleasure to live in the Ozarks)
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To: magellan

Chicago Illinois = TOILET


12 posted on 10/08/2013 11:24:46 AM PDT by LeonardFMason
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To: magellan

I don’t get it, then again he is a liberal. If the State employment office must conduct background checks at some time, then why not do it early on? This seems to be to change nothing while he is attempting to get points from his felon friends and fellow liberals.


13 posted on 10/08/2013 11:27:34 AM PDT by CodeToad (Liberals are bloodsucking ticks. We need to light the matchstick to burn them off. -786 +969)
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To: magellan
I was joking with the boss one time about this entry on our own applications - we were trying to hire a new guy for a domain admin position and I said "Oh, this 'felony conviction' thing - are we looking for a 'no' or a 'yes'?"

He didn't laugh. His eyes got real big and he asked me "What resume did I send you?" in a panicked tone of voice. Turns out he'd received one that was a "yes" for that question. For kiddie porn. On a work machine.

We laughed about it later but you know, if we couldn't ask that question that guy might be my colleague right now. With domain admin privileges. And there wouldn't be anything we could do about it.

14 posted on 10/08/2013 11:29:58 AM PDT by Billthedrill
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To: magellan

ILL-ANNOY does it again. Most corrupt state in the country!


15 posted on 10/08/2013 11:30:38 AM PDT by blondee123 (DICTATORSHIP HAS ARRIVED! Nov. 6, 2012)
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To: magellan
Ford gives an example of someone he knows who would benefit: a retiree who had a pocket knife in his pocket 50 years ago. As for the really bad guys, Ford says they're unlikely to apply for a legitimate job anyway.

Carrying a pocket knife is a felony?

16 posted on 10/08/2013 11:31:25 AM PDT by Zhang Fei (Let us pray that peace be now restored to the world and that God will preserve it always.)
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To: magellan

Doesn’t “state jobs” include some that involve handling money or dealing with kids?

And now the State of Illinois is saying they don’t care if there were any imbezzlement, money fraud, or child abuse convictions by their applicants?

In Illinois, political correctness is about to make life more dangerous for everyone! Wow, this is completely insane!!!


17 posted on 10/08/2013 11:32:05 AM PDT by canuck_conservative
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To: magellan
As for the really bad guys, Ford says they're unlikely to apply for a legitimate job anyway.

This is priceless. Of course they won't apply. Between what they're making as thugs and what they get from welfare, why would they?

18 posted on 10/08/2013 11:40:44 AM PDT by Portcall24
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To: Mich Patriot

Mich Patriot: “The progressives are all about separating reward/effort as well as actions/consequences.”

What progressives (apparently) fail to grasp is something nearly all of us learn in early childhood. Doing certain things, like putting your hand in fire, hurts. By removing bad consequences for foolish decisions, progressives prevent people from learning from their mistakes.

Unlike some FReepers, I don’t think all progressives have bad motives. I’m sure many of them really want to help people, although I’m not sure they want to work very hard themselves toward that (they’d rather pawn that part off on government). Nevertheless, I think many of them mean well.

Progressives, however, are simply shortsighted. Their policies may work on an individual, micro basis for a time, but they’re an economic and cultural death sentence on the macro level. There are plenty of examples of people’s revolutions, like the USSR, Cuba, and Venezuela. Venezuelans (who are not part of the ruling class) can’t even find enough toilet paper to wipe their asses! That’s where progressive thought leads.

Bottom line: Good intentions are worthless if your ideas don’t work.

I guess that isn’t my bottom line. In the case of convicts, we’re talking about people who have made some very bad choices indeed. It should be noted that nothing prevents progressive businesses from hiring as many convicts as they like. That is their right, but what they want to do is to take away the right of law-abiding business owners to inquire, at least on the initial application, whether or not the applicant is a convicted felon.


19 posted on 10/08/2013 11:42:43 AM PDT by CitizenUSA (Conservatives are not anarchists!)
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To: magellan
IT FIGURES



20 posted on 10/08/2013 11:43:16 AM PDT by TurboZamboni (Marx smelled bad & lived with his parents most his life.)
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