Proposed rule aims to help ex-cons get jobs

Associated Press

WASHINGTON

The Obama administration wants federal agencies to stop asking early questions about some job applicants’ criminal history, part of an effort to help ex-convicts enter the job market and decrease the number of those who end up back in prison.

A rule proposed Friday by the Office of Personnel Management would bar agencies from asking applicants about their criminal and credit history until a conditional offer of employment has been made. The rule, which would piggyback on similar efforts in states and in the private sector, would apply to hiring for the roughly 100,000 competitive service positions the government fills annually. It would not apply to many law enforcement, national security and intelligence posts, officials said.

White House officials said inquiries about criminal history can unnecessarily narrow the pool of qualified candidates and make it that much harder for those with criminal histories to support themselves and their families. Applicants can be removed from consideration even before agencies learn about the nature of a conviction or check to see whether an arrest led to a conviction. Officials said agencies could request an exemption.

The announcement was part of a broader campaign to highlight the importance of easing “re-entry,” the transition from prison to society that experts say is riddled with unnecessary hurdles that can keep people from finding secure housing or work.