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But new legislation is helping change that for some fields of work. In the past, even old or unrelated convictions could keep you from obtaining one. Many jobs in Pennsylvania require an occupational license.
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Under that law, employers can only consider:Īpplying for a professional license in Pennsylvania when you have a criminal record Pennsylvania’s Criminal History Record Information Act goes even further. “If the criminal record is not related to your ability to do the job, if it’s old, if it’s minor, then it would be discriminatory for them to not offer you the job, or rescind the offer, based on your criminal record,” Svoboda-Kindle says. They have to consider the nature and severity of the offense, the time that has passed, and the type of job for which you are applying, says Katie Svoboda-Kindle, a staff attorney with Community Legal Services of Philadelphia’s employment unit. The federal Civil Rights Act of 1964, for example, states that employers need to show a valid business reason if they want to reject you because of your record. Those protections exist on the federal, state, and local levels in Philadelphia. But there are limitations on when and how they do that. What can and can’t Pennsylvania employers do if I have a criminal record?Įmployers can refuse to hire you based on your criminal record.
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