WashPo | Marion Barry seeks anti-bias protection for those with ‘past arrests and convictions’

Go HERE to read the full article by Tim Craig.  What are your thoughts?

Excerpt:

If Barry’s legislation is adopted, an employer would be allowed to inquire about a criminal record only after a “conditional (job) offer” has been made. If an employer rescinds the offer based on a past arrest, he would have to submit documentation explaining why the applicant could not work in that job. 

Max Farrow, a spokesman for the D.C. Chamber of Commerce, said that business leaders oppose the proposal because it would add “red tape” and lead to more lawsuits.
“We are in favor of putting every D.C. resident back to work, but only in a manner in which the businesses elect to employ them and are protected,” Farrow said. “We don’t think it’s fair to add them to the protected class — that is essentially rewarding them for poor choices they have made in the past.” 

Instead of amending the city’s Human Rights Act, Farrow said the council should embrace the recommendations of the Council for Court Excellence, which spent two years studying the issue. In a report titled “Unlocking Employment Opportunity,” the council concluded that companies would hire more ex-offenders if the city enacted liability protection for businesses that hire them.

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