During the 2014 Texas gubernatorial race, one political ad by Wendy Davis was particularly disturbing. The ad told the story of a vacuum distributor who allegedly failed to run a background check on one of its sales contractors. That contractor purportedly brutally raped a woman in her home, “while her children slept in the next room.” Davis accused now-Governor Greg Abbot of siding “with the company against the victim” because of a decision rendered during his tenure on the Texas Supreme Court. Every time I open the door to let a repairman in my home, that ad narrator’s voice lingers in my head.
Yet, as an employment lawyer, I know that a majority of companies run background checks. More sobering than the allegations in the ad is the Ban the Box movement slowly gaining momentum across the United States. Should the Texas legislature and government agencies be involved in protecting the workplace rights of individuals with criminal convictions? Ex-convicts are not a protected class under federal or Texas anti-discrimination laws. So why does Ban the Box continue to gain momentum?
This content has been archived. It is available through our partners, LexisNexis® and Bloomberg Law.
To view this content, please continue to their sites.
Not a Lexis Subscriber?
Subscribe Now
Not a Bloomberg Law Subscriber?
Subscribe Now
LexisNexis® and Bloomberg Law are third party online distributors of the broad collection of current and archived versions of ALM's legal news publications. LexisNexis® and Bloomberg Law customers are able to access and use ALM's content, including content from the National Law Journal, The American Lawyer, Legaltech News, The New York Law Journal, and Corporate Counsel, as well as other sources of legal information.
For questions call 1-877-256-2472 or contact us at [email protected]
