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Opinion editorials Handling of Pit Appeal Calls for a Time-Out |
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opinion editorialsThis editorial first appeared in the Albuquerque Journal. It was written by editorial page staff and is unsigned as it represents the opinion of the newspaper rather than the writers
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Monday, March 15, 2010
Criminal History Must Factor Into Public Hires
Criminal History Must Factor Into Public Hires
Now that Gov. Bill Richardson has signed legislation making it illegal for public employers to include queries about criminal history on job applications, it is more incumbent than ever on the folks doing the hiring to ask the hard questions in person.
Nobody should doubt the common sense of ensuring individuals who have run afoul of the law get the opportunity to become contributing members of society. Everyone wins when someone turns his or her life around, gets a job, supports the family, pays taxes.
But, not all mistakes are petty misdemeanors from decades ago. Nobody wants a pedophile driving a school bus or an embezzler toting up the tax dollars. And if a public employer doesn't ask, a public hire doesn't have to tell. Explain that to the jury when an employment decision goes tragically wrong.
Sen. Clint Harden, R-Clovis, a former state labor secretary who sponsored the bill, points out that "lots of young people — and old people, too — have that one stupid mistake they made years ago." Under his bill, rather than being summarily dismissed because they checked a box on an application, those people now have the opportunity to explain their mistakes in person.
For the public's safety, the people who do the hiring must ensure they do just that.
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