WS Chronicle

Group backs job listing site for supporting civil rights

To the Editor:

Without access to employment, people with criminal records are placed on a path to failure and unable to take the steps necessary to successfully reintegrate into their communities. This is especially true for African-Americans and other minorities who are overrepresented in the criminal justice system. As we continue our work to ensure equal opportunity for all citizens, we applaud Glassdoor for leading in this important effort to help eliminate restrictive and discriminatory criminal background screening practices faced by minority communities across our country.

Kristen Clarke
President And Executive Director
Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law
Washington, D.C.

We are delighted to work with the Lawyers’ Committee to further support our mission to help people everywhere find a job and company they love. Glassdoor believes everyone should be afforded access to employment and career advancement opportunities and encourages employers to provide important career pathways for all segments of our population.

Samantha Zupan
Vice President of Corporate Communications
Glassdoor

Note: The updated policy released by Glassdoor states: Employers may not post any job ad that “does not comply with Title VII of the Civil Rights Act or the EEOC’s Enforcement Guidance on Employer’s Consideration of Arrest and Conviction Records in Employment Decisions, and relevant state and local laws that prohibit employers from discriminating against people with criminal backgrounds and require employers to delay inquiry into an applicant’s criminal history until later in the hiring process.”
In the last two decades, an increasing segment of the working-age population has had contact with the criminal justice system. Roughly 100 million Americans have some form of criminal record. In 2015, African- Americans and Latinos made up approximately 32 percent of the U.S. population, but comprised 56 percent of all incarcerated people. Increasing opportunities for stable employment for people with criminal backgrounds is critical to lowering recidivism.
More than 47 million people visit Glassdoor’s website every month, making it a go-to resource for employers and employees alike.

Innovation District is no good for N.C. schools

To the Editor:

NCAE is proud of the communities and educators standing strong for traditional public schools and defending against for-profit charter takeover of some of our schools. The Innovation School District approved by the General Assembly is a school takeover scheme that is unproven and unaccountable. A similar system is failing in other states. Our elected leaders should do what we know works, and that’s investing in modern textbooks and technology, more resources to allow for one-on-one attention, and investing in educators. Instead, this General Assembly is choosing to invest in corporate tax cuts instead of classrooms.
Mark Jewell, President
N.C. Association of Educators
Raleigh