WASHINGTON, DC, — President Obama plans to issue a new executive order that would help reduce employment discrimination against formerly incarcerated people applying for federal government jobs. Earlier this year, the National LGBTQ Task Force sent a letter along with a dozen organizations urging the president to eliminate the requirement from job applicants to check off a box in their application if they have a criminal record. The organization also joined 200 groups in a similar effort urging the president to adopt fair chance hiring practices as part of the “Ban the Box” campaign.
“Everyone deserves a fighting chance at the promise of America, including formerly incarcerated people. As LGBTQ people, particularly LGBTQ people of color, we know all to well what it means to experience employment discrimination. And, because of the ongoing discrimination and unfair treatment LGBTQ people experience, we are more likely to come into contact with police authorities—which leads to higher rates of exposure to the criminal justice system and incarceration,” said Stacey Long Simmons, director of Public Policy and Government Affairs at the National LGBTQ Task Force.
“The President’s announcement to eliminate barriers to federal employment opportunities for formerly incarcerated people, including formerly incarcerated LGBTQ people, will help thousands of families move from unemployment and poverty to financial stability and the chance of prosperity. This historic policy change will also contribute positively to our nation’ economy. We hope that the President will build on this success by issuing an executive order that will hold federal contractors to the same fair chance hiring policies as he set today for federal employers.”
