An Act To Prohibit Employment Discrimination Based on a Prior Criminal Conviction

Sec. 1. 26 MRSA §600  is enacted to read:

§ 600.  Protection from employment discrimination for persons with prior criminal convictions

A person may not be disqualified from employment or be disqualified to engage in an occupation for which a license, permit or certificate is required because of a prior conviction of a crime within or without the State. A person may be denied employment or may be denied a license, permit or certificate to engage in an occupation by reason of the prior conviction of a crime if the offense has a reasonable relationship to the functions of the employment or occupation for which the license, permit or certificate is sought or if the person is disqualified by statute from the occupation for which a license, permit or certificate is sought.

summary

This bill protects persons who have a prior conviction of a crime from employment discrimination by providing that a person with a prior conviction may not be disqualified from employment or an occupation that requires a license, permit or certificate on the basis of that conviction unless the offense for which the person was convicted has a reasonable relationship to the functions of the employment or occupation or the person is disqualified from that occupation by state statute.