What My Hairdresser Taught Me About Ban the Box

Last Sunday, my hairdresser asked me about “the box” — having no idea what she was talking about, I said, “What box?”

She said, “You know, the one that asks the question whether or not you’ve been convicted of a crime on your job application.”

We promptly got into an hour debate around whether or not President Obama should sign the executive order to Ban the Box.

While we both agreed that people who have been formerly incarcerated should have access to good jobs, we couldn’t agree on whether or not people’s prior convictions should be a determining factor in their ability to obtain full employment.

Only seven days later the resilient organizing efforts of the labor movement, formerly incarcerated advocates, civil rights organizations, and advocacy groups lead to another historic victory for the reform of the criminal justice system.

Over the past year, the labor movement has spoken with hundreds of people about criminal justice reform — from unionized corrections officers to formerly incarcerated journeymen — and the one thing everyone agrees with is the criminal justice system is unfair. Banning the box in federal hiring is a huge step in the right direction, but as usual with policy, there is still work to be done. According to the National Employment Law Project, we still need President Obama to make sure federal contractors ban the box, and that regulations effectively delay the criminal history question until the “conditional offer” stage of the hiring process. And it’s no surprise that we still need Congress to act on the Fair Chance Act.

So what’s next? President Obama needs to use the power of his pen to expand the Executive Order to federal contractors, and bring together a broad coalition in Congress to pass the Fair Chance Act. We also need to ensure that the full rights of the formerly incarcerated are restored.

In too many states, people who have served time are still unable to vote even after they have completed their sentences, probation and parole.

1 in 13 Black people in the United States are unable to vote — yep that’s an accurate statistic. Many formerly incarcerated still cannot access federal housing, federal financial aid or employment because of our country’s antiquated laws. There are thousands of people who are ready to get back to work, and we have the opportunity to help them reenter the workforce. That’s what the labor movement’s purpose is. Helping people work for a better life.

We all can be involved in the fight to reform the criminal justice system.

By talking to a member of your community, a hairdresser or your next door neighbor, about the economic benefits that accompany allowing the formerly incarcerated to achieve gainful employment. A friend once told me that we should not be defined by the worst thing we’ve ever done. We all deserve a second chance, and for some people providing them with access to a job is the first step. The labor movement is dedicated to continue fighting to establish a system that works for, not against, all working people.