Arlington Bars Initial Queries About Criminal Records In Applications For County Jobs
Arlington County has become the latest jurisdiction to eliminate questions
about criminal convictions on applications for county government jobs not
related to public safety. The decision, which does not require County Board
approval, is intended to help ex-offenders seeking jobs, said Marcy Foster,
the county’s human resources director. Finding employment after serving a
sentence is considered a key to avoiding recidivism. “We thought it was the
right thing to do, the fair thing to do,” she said.
The change in policy approved in Arlington applies only to applicants for
jobs with the county government. In Virginia, the state government regulates
private employment. Alexandria, Newport News, Norfolk, Petersburg, Portsmouth
and Richmond also have banned questions about criminal convictions on applications
for local government jobs not related to public safety.
W. Barry Nixon is the COO, PreemploymentDirectory.com the leading background screening information portal and online worldwide directory of professional background screening firms and Suppliers to the background screening industry. He co-authored the landmark book, Background Screening & Investigations: Managing Hiring Risk from the HR and Security Perspective. He also is the publisher of award winning newsletters, The Background Buzz and The Global Background Screener, and the author of the Background Checks column in PI Magazine.
In addition, Barry is a past recipient of the elite ‘Top 25 Influential People in Security’ by Security Magazine and past Co-Chair, International Committee for the National Association for Professional Background Screeners (NAPBS). He currently serves as a Global Ambassador for NAPBS.
You can contact Barry at 1-949-770-5264 or online at wbnixon@preemploymentdirectory.com