News Summary
The New Orleans City Council has unanimously approved an amendment to hiring ordinances aimed at improving employment opportunities for individuals with felony convictions. This policy limits the evaluation of criminal history during the hiring process for city government jobs, ensuring applicants have a chance to contest background information and present evidence of rehabilitation. The change is expected to empower more convicted felons to secure meaningful employment while enforcing accountability in hiring practices. Advocates are calling for similar protections for contractors associated with the city.
New Orleans – The New Orleans City Council took a significant step towards improving employment opportunities for individuals with felony convictions by unanimously approving an amendment to hiring ordinances on May 12. The newly implemented policy aims to provide stronger protections for convicted felons applying for city government jobs, marking a pivotal moment for fairer hiring practices in the city.
The amendment specifically limits how criminal history can be evaluated during the hiring process. City departments are now mandated to provide written documentation explaining why a criminal record disqualifies a job candidate and to demonstrate the direct relationship between the conviction and the essential duties of the intended position. Furthermore, applicants will be empowered to contest background information or present evidence of their rehabilitation to improve their chances of securing employment.
Should an applicant be denied employment based on their criminal record without proper consideration, the new policy allows them to pursue legal action against the employer in civil court. It is important to note that these provisions only apply to city government hiring and public contracts, not extending to private businesses.
City council member Ronald Marshall, who has himself experienced incarceration, highlighted the significance of this policy shift, emphasizing the need to value individuals based on their skills rather than their past mistakes. Councilmember Eugene Green also stated that the new ordinance exclusively pertains to the city as an employer, reinforcing its focused application.
While this amendment is a step forward, advocates are calling for similar protective measures to be applied to contractors working with the city to ensure fair hiring practices in all sectors associated with public contracts. Alfred Marshall, a member of Voice of the Experienced (VOTE) and a convicted felon, expressed the necessity of holding contractors accountable for their hiring practices concerning city contracts.
Previously, the city had enacted a “Ban the Box” ordinance in 2018, which removed the checkbox that applicants had to mark indicating their criminal history on initial job applications. Despite this effort, advocates noted that its limited impact stemmed from a lack of enforcement mechanisms allowing applicants to effectively challenge hiring decisions.
The newly amended policy now requires hiring departments to set aside felony convictions unless they can be shown to have a direct and specific connection to job responsibilities. Employers are obliged to assess the “nature and gravity of the offense” and must provide written rationales if a conviction results in a rejection of an applicant’s candidacy. This change is expected to empower more convicted felons to gain meaningful employment in the city’s workforce.
Moreover, rejected job candidates are granted the right to dispute the accuracy of the criminal record that led to their denial or to present any mitigating circumstances that could influence a reconsideration of their application. The city’s commitment to fair employment practices for individuals with felony convictions is a reflective response to the ongoing challenges faced by this demographic in obtaining long-term employment after serving their sentences.
Despite the advancements made through this amendment, Emily Posner, general counsel for VOTE, pointed out that without enforcement mechanisms, laws intended to eliminate hiring discrimination may still fall short of effectiveness. The ultimate goal remains to create an equitable job market where individuals, regardless of their past legal issues, can compete fairly for city government positions.
The New Orleans City Council’s decision to amend hiring ordinances marks the beginning of a transformative approach to employment practices that considers fairness and rehabilitation, aiming to pave the way for previously incarcerated individuals to reintegrate into society through gainful employment.
Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic
HERE Resources
University of Louisiana Lafayette Closes Office of Campus Inclusion
2024 Greater New Orleans Jobs Report Highlights Economic Shifts
FCC Investigates Disney’s Diversity Practices
Additional Resources
- New Orleans City Business
- Wikipedia: Employment Discrimination
- CBS News
- Google Search: New Orleans inmates escape
- WWLTV
- Google Scholar: New Orleans criminal justice
- Fox News
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Correctional System
- NOLA
- Google News: New Orleans felon job protections
