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SF 'Fair Chance' Law Would End Criminal Background Check Box On Housing, Job Applications

SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS) — San Francisco is a step closer to banning questions about criminal backgrounds on applications for jobs and housing in what is called the "Fair Chance" law, which received widespread support at Monday's supervisor's meeting.

The relatively new concept in criminal justice, also referred to as "ban the box", would ban those red-flag questions that tend to ruin one's chances from the get go.

Under this proposal, landlords and employers could only ask about a criminal record during an interview where they might well discover that it's not relevant.

SF 'Fair Chance' Law Would End Criminal Background Check Box On Housing, Job Applications

Advocates including the chamber of commerce all claim it's practically impossible to get a job or find a place to live when you have to submit an application that says you have a criminal record no matter how minor, or how long ago.

During the meeting, a resounding opinion was that if people weren't given a fair shot that it's difficult to expect them to succeed.

Passage of the proposal is expected in a couple of weeks.

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