Just as Nina Simone lamented in song about a dying Baltimore back in 1978, not much has changed for the tens of thousands of residents living in poverty, are homeless or suffering unemployment due to a background check. The legislation currently before the Baltimore City Council, Council Bill 13-301, to ‘Ban the Box’ on the employment applications of companies doing business in the city, is being lauded by some and the cause for concern for others. The hiring of ‘convicts’ has been a point of contention since the days of the pillory and stocks in the town square. The modern day pillory is online and causes a lifetime of unemployment for those exhibited there. However, this Bill addresses the lack of employment opportunities for not only those individuals who have served hard time and made a life change but also the tens of thousands of Baltimore citizens who have been arrested or convicted of relatively minor offenses. We must remember Baltimore has a predominately African American population. When the former Mayor, now Governor, Martin O’Malley, implemented the zero tolerance policy in 2007 the African American workforce in the City was decimated. When coupled with the high incidence of racial profiling at that time, it is easy to see why Baltimore has an extremely high unemployment rate. According to Maryland’s DLLR, the average was 9.8 percent for 2013. In the African American community, the rate is consistently twice that of the white community, according to the Pew Research Center. If those who have stopped looking for work are factored in, the rate skyrockets. Most people with a criminal record are no longer looking, the constant denials and lack of call backs has indicated to them that no employer will give them a job. Unfortunately, the ‘Box’ on employment applications is largely used to summarily filter out a huge segment of the population who are ready, willing and able to get hired. It has been determined that people with a criminal record often make the best employees. There are Baltimore employers who only hire the ‘returning citizen’ or ex-offender. These employees show up early and are more productive. They know their options are limited and they have something to prove. This demographic goes into debt getting trained and educated but never get an interview because of the current application process. The skill set and education gets trumped by ‘the Box’. Taxpayers spend millions on ‘Welfare to Work’ programs that are largely ineffective in helping the participants get hired due to background checks. All the while the City and State spend money on public benefits to support people who want to work but cannot get hired. It has been suggested that the hiring of people with records be incentivized, increasing the WOTC [Work Opportunity Tax Credit] from twelve months to 3 to 5 years is worth investigating. However, in the meantime, simply removing ‘the Box’ would afford many more excellent workers an opportunity to sit in an interview and sell themselves to a potential employer. Business owners will not have an added burden placed upon them if this Bill passes. A background check can still be performed, just latter in the process. By waiting, there is no danger to the employer of violating the law, thereby incurring no criminal nor civil penalties. My hometown has a strong, underutilized workforce waiting to help raise the fiscal tide and float all boats. Our Mayor has a goal of attracting ten thousand new families to Baltimore. This legislation would help her see that her ten thousand working families are already here. The potential bread winner just needs an interview. As Nina said, ‘Oh Baltimore, ain’t it hard just to live’.
Posted on: Thu, 20 Mar 2014 09:18:39 +0000
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