Obama Issues Executive Order That Keeps Criminal Records Off Federal Job Applications

Well Obama really is living up to giving people a second chance. It appears that he issued an executive order that will no longer require people to put their criminal record on job applications. Is that a good thing? Certainly proponents would argue that it allows people even with criminal records to apply for jobs and at least have a chance to interview for the position. At some point presumably, an employer would be able to do a background screening to determine what arrests, convictions or charges a person had to determine if they still wanted to hire them. Opponents would likely argue that an employer has the right to know up front about a persons criminal record so that they would not have to waste their time interviewing if they thought the prospect was dangerous, dishonest or would not fit job requirements. What do you think?

One thing is for sure, if you have the opportunity to clean up your criminal record, you should take the opportunity to do so. Whether you expunge or seal a criminal arrest, it really is something you should consider doing so that the general public and in some instances an employer will not see your background. Can you imagine going all the way through the application process, interview just to get the NO because the employer found your theft arrest fifteen years ago when you are in college?