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For immediate release: March 25, 2016

Contact: Shelby Alexander, Council Member Greg Casar, 512-978-2104


Austin, TX Becomes First Fair Chance Hiring City in the South
AUSTIN On Thursday, March 24, the Austin City Council voted to approve a fair chance hiring
ordinance for private employers in the City of Austin. The ordinance intends to give applicants a fair
chance at employment by delaying inquiries into an applicants conviction history. This policy will apply
to Austin employers with fifteen or more employees. Of the cities that have adopted fair chance hiring
policies, Austin's ordinance is one of the few that guarantees that a background check will only occur
after a conditional job offer has been made.
This policy is anti-discriminatory at hearttoo many hardworking and qualified individuals in our
community are unable to find employment because they are judged solely on their conviction history,
rather than their potential, said Council Member Greg Casar. I believe that the right to compete for a
jobwithout the boot of discrimination on your neckand the right to demand a fair wage can make
our economy truly strong. Not just for some, but for all.
This policy will not apply to positions for which federal, state, or local law disqualifies an individual
based on conviction history. Austin joins six states (Massachusetts, Hawaii, Minnesota, Rhode Island,
Illinois, New Jersey), eleven cities and counties (including Baltimore; Buffalo; Chicago; Columbia,
Missouri; Newark; Philadelphia; San Francisco; Seattle), and Washington, D.C. with fair chance hiring
policies on the books for private employers.
The American Journal of Sociology reported that if hiring discrimination takes place, it is most likely to
take place at the first interaction: the submission of a job application. One in three adults in Texas has a
criminal record, and nearly 2,200 individuals released from Texas prisons will return to the Austin area
each year. The National Employment Law Project provides extensive research and data finding that fair
chance hiring practices are good for individuals, families, and communities, increases public safety, and
contributes to a robust economy.
When some members of our community dont have access to economic opportunity, our entire city
suffers, said Council Member Casar. Working-class people and communities of color are
disproportionately impacted by our broken criminal justice system. The passage of this ordinance is a
significant step forward for civil rights and racial justice in our community.
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