The government study says job seekers should be allowed to withhold information about previous convictions – as long as they can prove they’ve changed their ways.
A report commissioned by the UK government has suggested giving job seekers the right to hide their criminal history from employers – as long as they can prove they’ve changed their ways.
Conducted by Labour MP David Lammy, the report explores how black, Asian and minority ethnic people are treated by the criminal justice system – it makes a number of strong recommendations, including the one to conceal former convictions from employers.
If the plan goes ahead, anyone who was convicted in their teenage years would be allowed to apply to have that conviction hidden – the case would be heard by a judge, who would consider evidence of rehabilitation and the time elapsed since the offence.
If the decision went the applicant’s way, the criminal record would still exist but the person would not be required to disclose it to any potential employers and employers would be unable to see it.
While the suggestion has sparked debate in the UK, it’s not actually a new idea and a number of states across America have already implemented similar schemes.
Evidence from Massachusetts and some parts of California – where the initiative is currently in operation – show reform of criminal record regimes can boost employment rates among former offenders and reduce the cost of welfare benefits.
