Come On! What Do They Expect Us to Do?
This story out of Manteca, California really frustrates me. The city cancelled a contract with a cleaning company that was contracted to clean out illegal homeless encampments after it was discovered that one of the owners was on the registry. During the awarding of the contract, the company submitted references attesting to the quality of work they do. The references included two Manteca Police officers, a city employer and a downtown businessman. The cancellation of the contract had nothing to do with any allegation of misconduct – simply the guy’s status on the registry. According to the article, one person who spoke out held up a sign saying, “CHOMOS should not get city paid contracts.”
Employment provides stability, responsibility, independence and a way to support yourself and your family. All factors that reduce recidivism. Except that for people on the registry, sometimes it seems like there is no job low enough, dirty enough or unglamorous enough to be considered acceptable. FAC has written about people being fired from jobs involving janitorial work, garbage collection, landscaping and other basic service work simply because of their status as registered citizens. We’ve written about businesses being shunned and boycotted because they employ a registrant.
We’re not talking about becoming a schoolteacher. We’re not talking about working at a daycare. We’re talking about picking up garbage. Cleaning buildings. Cutting grass. Doing the jobs that most people don’t exactly line up around the block to get. Yet even those jobs become off limits.
This irony in this story is hard to miss. The guy was hired to clear illegal homeless encampments. If society makes it impossible to find employment and support himself, the inevitable result is that he will become homeless himself.
The registry doesn’t just tell people when and what they must report and where they can’t live. Increasingly, discrimination from the registry also tells them where they can’t work, either.
Discover more from Florida Action Committee (FAC)
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
It doesn’t cease to amaze me. While in probation, we are told we must find a job or being active finding one. But yet…they kick you out of any employment you can get your hands on so you can provide to your family and try, at least try to live a decent life for you and your family…this is insane….just insane.
It isn’t just us they do this to, although it is easier to find out who is an ex-felon due to the registry.
Due to the judgemental nature of some people, once they hear someone has a serious felony of any nature and find out they own or operate a business they let everyone know and soon the ex-felon is out-of-business or their store is boycotted.
Some people feel that once you have seriously broken the law, you don’t deserve to prosper like others.
Its crazy how much the registry prevents you from seeking employment in areas that have no connection to your offense. Now whether this is from personal bias or companies protecting themselves from increased insurance premiums there is an increasing number who wont hire registrants.
It just takes one Karen or one Ken to ruin someone’s career. The crime they committed was “Working while on the registry”. Isn’t it funny it all goes away if you are removed from the registry, other than still having a felony conviction. So, one piece of paper, is so powerful that it is what makes a person or place safe? Laughable.
This is why it is becoming increasingly important to build and keep wealth within our ranks. Those of us who are doing better should seek out services from a qualified registrant before going on to hire others, where possible. We are not an insignificant number and we should leverage that.
Anyone with tech skills who can make a website for us? Like a yellow pages for our community only?
Great idea.
We can do that. We’d have to restrict it to members only. Otherwise it would be an invitation for vigilantism.
Adding it to the agenda.
Fantastic Idea !
Unfortunately, I’m afraid that might set up the idea for litigation from someone who might say “It is discrimination because they are only hiring from their group of members”. Then, it might have to be shut down or pay a massive discrimination lawsuit. However, I do agree that it is a good idea.
And people say the registry isn’t punishment. It seems to me the company is being punished for what the owner did in the PAST. Past being the key word.