Small businesses urge Governor Brown to Veto AB 1008 (McCarty)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
National Federation of Independent Business/California
Contact: Shawn Lewis (916) 342-9315; [email protected]
Follow: @NFIB_CA and on Facebook
NFIB Reacts to Assembly Passing ‘Ban the Box’ Mandate
Small businesses urge Governor Brown to Veto AB 1008 (McCarty)
SACRAMENTO, Calif., September 15, 2017 – Following the California State Assembly passing Assembly Bill 1008 (McCarty) today, NFIB California State Executive Director Tom Scott issued the following statement on behalf of our 22,000 small business members:
“We are deeply concerned with the passage of AB 1008 and are urging Governor Jerry Brown to veto this bill which interferes with a small business owner’s ability to fill open positions, imposes new onerous requirements, and subjects them to new potential legal liabilities.
“AB 1008 places business owners in a difficult position by requiring them to make conditional offers of employment without being able to ascertain if an applicant has a criminal history that could have a negative impact on the business’ operations. At the same time, this bill provides no legal protection whatsoever for a business owner who hires someone with a criminal background. If that individual commits another crime against customers or other employees, the business owner will be liable for negligence in hiring.
“A simpler, alternative way we could approach this important issue could be allowing full disclosure to an employer of criminal records while incentivizing those employers with a tax credit for hiring ex-convicts. Since this bill instead focuses on regulating and penalizing job creators, NFIB is strongly urging Governor Brown to veto AB 1008.”
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For more than 70 years, the National Federation of Independent Business has been the Voice of Small Business, taking the message from Main Street to the halls of Congress and all 50 state legislatures. NFIB has 350,000 dues-paying members nationally, with over 22,000 in California. NFIB annually surveys its members on state and federal issues vital to their survival as America’s economic engine and biggest creator of jobs. To learn more visit www.NFIB.com/california
