Update 10/6/2015 5:15 p.m. - This measure passed in an 8-4 vote.
People who have been to jail may soon find it easier to get a job with Miami-Dade County.
The controversial law that would take questions about criminal history off county job applications is up for final debate at Tuesday’s commission meeting.
Some advocates have coined the debate “ban the box,” which has gained national momentum after the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission clarified a ruling that said applicants can’t be automatically denied a job because of their criminal history.
If the measure passes, Miami-Dade would only be allowed to ask about an applicant’s criminal background or ask to perform a background check if an applicant is considered a finalist for the position. At that stage the county can look into the person’s criminal history and make a final decision about offering a job, weighing things such as the amount of time passed since a conviction or the crime’s relevance to the open position.
David McGriff, CEO of Advocate Program, which works with offenders, says having a job can be a factor in someone successfully reentering society and not re-offending.
“You’re punishing people, in some cases, for a mistake they may have made 20 years ago,” says McGriff.
He adds companies such as Target took the question off their applications last year in response to the “ban the box” campaign. Studies show questions about criminal history can have a chilling effect on ex-convicts applying for jobs.
Jacksonville, Pompano Beach and Tampa all have similar laws in their books.