Supporters of a national movement to prevent employers from asking about a person's criminal history on job applications took their campaign to the Oregon Legislature Wednesday.
Labor leaders, nonprofit representatives and ex-offenders joined in backing legislation that would make it illegal for Oregon employers to use application forms to ask about criminal history or disqualify an applicant because of a prior conviction, unless the conviction is job-related.
House Bill 3025 stems from the national "Ban the Box" campaign started several years ago by ex-felons and their families to remove a common barrier to post-conviction employment.
According to the campaign website, more than 45 cities and counties have removed the question regarding criminal history from their employment applications.
Last year in Portland, the city removed a box from formal job applications asking whether a candidate had been convicted a crime. Wednesday afternoon, the City Council is scheduled to discuss a proposal by Mayor Charlie Hales to extend the new policy to the private sector.
Similar to the Portland proposal, HB3025 would allow employers to ask about an applicant's convictions, but not until later in the hiring process, after the person has met the minimum qualifications for the job. The bill would not apply to law enforcement jobs and other positions that, by law, require a criminal background check.
During a public hearing held by the House Committee on Business and Labor, Tom Chamberlain, president of the Oregon AFL-CIO, and Midge Purcell, director of advocacy and public policy for the Urban League of Portland, were among those who testified in support of HB3025.
The Fair Chance For All coalition, a group of more than 50 organizations in Oregon, is advocating for the bill on grounds that it would help level the playing field for ex-offenders who often find themselves quickly eliminated from consideration after they've acknowledged their criminal history.
"In Oregon, even as the economy is improving, it is still hard for people with records to find work," Chamberlain said. "Folks with records aren't getting interviewed and in turn, aren't getting jobs."
More than 32,000 people in Oregon are currently incarcerated or on community supervision and face barriers to housing and jobs, according to the coalition. Nearly 11 percent of incarcerated Oregonians are African American, though they represent 2 percent of the state's population.
"This inequity is compounded by employment barriers that impact those with criminal histories," said Purcell, of the Urban League.
-- George Rede
grede@oregonian.com
503-294-4004
@georgerede