The Legal Aid Society - Employment Law Center

Keeping the Promise of Justice for All

Ex-Offenders

Californians who have a criminal record have employment rights. For example, employers (with some exceptions) cannot ask job applicants about their arrest records. However, employers can ask about previous convictions, but only if such questions are business related and do not result in discrimination against a certain classification of people. Workers who are concerned about the effect of their criminal records on employment may seek to dismiss their previous convictions through the county in which the convictions occurred.

Check these fact sheets and resources for information about your rights and steps you can take to protect them. If you need further information or assistance, contact the Workers’ Rights Clinic.

Fact Sheets and Other Self-Help Tools

Key Resources

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Workers’ Rights Clinic

If our fact sheets or other resources do not answer all your questions and you want further help, contact our Workers’ Rights Clinics.

The Workers’ Rights Clinic provides free legal information to workers who meet our income guidelines. There are three Clinic locations in the San Francisco Bay Area and a phone-in Clinic for those who can’t visit one of our locations.

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