State’s new hiring rule

Arizona agencies will wait until later in the hiring process to ask about criminal records. That could help people with criminal histories land jobs.

Gov. Doug Ducey has ordered state agencies to implement new hiring procedures aimed at giving Arizonans with criminal records a better chance at landing jobs with the state.

Under the new directive, agencies will delay asking about applicants’ criminal records until he or she has completed the initial hiring stages of interviewing for a position. The Department of Administration, which acts as a the state’s humanresources hub, will establish the hiring procedures.

The “Second Chance Box” policy is aimed at guaranteeing applicants with criminal histories are fully and fairly considered for jobs with the state.

Ducey directed the agencies to adopt the new procedures on Monday, through an executive order.

The order continued the Ducey administration’s focus on reducing recidivism and offering another chance to those who have served their time.

About 1.5 million adults in Arizona have arrests or convictions on their records, according to the executive order. The state had more than 350 job openings as of Tuesday, ranging from sanitation-related positions to accountants, according to the Department of Administration.

In a statement, Ducey said everyone deserves a second chance, “no matter their background or past mistakes.” The policy he said, would reduce the likelihood of recidivism.

“If you served your time and paid your debt to society, you should have the opportunity at a real second chance.”

According to the National Council of State Legislatures, 21 states and the District of Columbia have laws that regulate at what point certain employers can ask about an applicant’s criminal history.