The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Idaho recently released details for the Blueprint for Smart Justice Idaho, which would push to implement the Fair Chance Employment Act, requiring employers to wait to ask about a candidate’s criminal background or do a criminal background check until an applicant is given a personal interview or a conditional offer of employment. Intended to reduce Idaho’s incarceration rate, ACLU of Idaho Policy Director Kathy Griesmyer said an estimated 50 percent of applicants with criminal records are disqualified without an interview or a chance to explain the circumstances. “Finding a job,” she said, “is the key to staying out of prison, supporting their families and rebuilding their lives.”
