Q: I had a question. I’m a 20 year old ex-offender that had been convicted of a felony almost 2 years back and I recently applied at a calling center in person. I took it to the manager and they took me to the side and told me I couldn’t work for them because I had put I was a convicted of a felony on the application. I was just wondering if they could do that.
Can an employer legally turn down an ex-offender?
A: I am not a legal professional therefore I do not offer legal advice. I will say generally speaking, the fact is an employer cannot legally refuse to hire you because you are an ex-offender unless your conviction is directly related to the job for which you are applying. It is next to impossible to prove that you were discriminated on for employment because you have a criminal record. Any employer will simply say that they had a more attractive candidate for the job.
The advice that I give to every ex-offender and felon looking for jobs who feel that they have been turned down due to having a criminal record is don’t take it personal. Pick your self up, dust yourself off and on to the next employer. Finding a job with a criminal record is a numbers game. The more jobs you apply for, the more interviews you will get. The more interviews you get, the greater your opportunity to get a job. Also, never talk yourself out of applying for a job because you have a record. Apply for every job you feel you are qualified for.
I hope this helps.
There are employers who have taken a pledge to have fair hiring practice regarding ex-offenders and felons. You can find out more about them and the pledge here.
Force To Hire Felons? – EEOC To File Suit Against Non- Compliant CO’s
If you are really serious about getting a job with a criminal record or helping someone you care about get a job, check out this link: From Jail to a Job
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