Limit the period of time during which employers and licensing boards can disqualify a person to one year after sentence completion for a misdemeanor, and five years for a felony
Currently, employers and licensing boards can disqualify applicants for criminal convictions indefinitely, regardless of when the offense occurred. A proposal would limit the period during which employers can disqualify someone based on a conviction: one year after completing a sentence for a misdemeanor, and five years for a felony, provided the person has not committed any other crimes.
Arguments For & Against
Pro Argument
Studies show that if a person does not commit a crime for a significant period, they are very unlikely to return to crime. It is an essential principle of justice that punishment should not go on indefinitely. If a person remains crime-free for a significant period, they deserve a second chance and the opportunity to become a productive member of society.
Con Argument
Employers should have the right to make their own judgments about applicants and disqualify them for criminal behavior even if it took place well in the past. Someone convicted of embezzlement should never be an accountant.
Source document: Criminal_Records_Quaire_0221.pdf
| Type | Organization | Date | Nat | Rep | Dem | Gap | Metric |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New PPC Survey (2026) | Program for Public Consultation | February 2026 | 79% | 79% | 82% | 3% | favor |
| Deliberative Survey | Program for Public Consultation | February 2021 | 74% | 64% | 83% | 19% | favor |
Program for Public Consultation — February 2026
Limit the period of time during which employers and licensing boards can disqualify a person for certain convictions: for a misdemeanor, one year after they complete their sentence; for a felony, five years after they complete their sentence.
Program for Public Consultation — February 2021
Limit the period of time during which licensing boards and employers can disqualify an applicant for certain convictions, provided that the person has not committed any other crimes during this period: For a misdemeanor, the limit would be to one year after the person completes their sentence; for a felony, the limit would be five years after the person completes their sentence.
Related Policies
Prohibit the use of chokeholds
78% national support
Require police officers to intervene when another officer is using excessive force
88% national support
Require police to wear body cameras and use them during interactions with suspects
90% national support
Require law enforcement agencies to submit information about officer misconduct to a national public database
89% national support