So where CAN we work?
The recent story from the Boston Herald about a Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles employee being fired after it was discovered he was on the Florida sex offender registry perfectly illustrates how deeply rooted discrimination has become against anyone on the registry. According to the report, the individual was not in a public-facing position — he processed truck company applications for a safety program and had no interaction with the general public. Despite this, the moment his registry status became known, he was placed on leave and ultimately fired.
Across the country, people on sex offender registries lose their jobs every day — not because of any misconduct or risk in the workplace, but because of the stigma attached to being on a government list. Many of these positions, like the one in Massachusetts, involve no public contact, no access to sensitive populations, and no connection to the individual’s past offense. Yet employers and agencies often react with panic or public pressure rather than reason or fairness.
This knee-jerk response undermines one of the most important principles of a just society: that a person who has served their sentence should have the opportunity to rebuild their life. Gainful employment is one of the strongest predictors of successful reintegration and lower recidivism. When someone is punished again and again — losing jobs, housing, and stability long after their sentence — it serves no public safety purpose. In fact, it has the opposite effect by creating desperation and hopelessness.
Why should someone be fired from a job they performed competently simply because of an old conviction? If we can’t work in positions that pose no risk to the public, where can we work?
It’s time for lawmakers and employers to reconsider how registry status is used as a blanket disqualifier. People deserve to be judged by their actions in the present — not a label from their past. Until that changes, stories like this will continue to remind us that the sex offender registry is not a tool for public safety, but for perpetual punishment.
Discover more from Florida Action Committee (FAC)
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
I was fortunate to find part time work as a contract driver for a car auction yard. Basically, I just drove cars through the auction block for the buyers to inspect and bid on, and also transported cars to and from the auction yard from various dealers who bought and sold in the auction. The permanent auction employees liked me and my work ethic so much that I was invited to apply for a full time permanent position, which I did. That was the worse thing I could do. They ran a background check and not only was I denied a full time position, I was walked off the lot and fired from my part time job because I was on the registry. All I really wanted was direct deposit instead of a reloaded Visa debit card for weekly payment. I’m sure glad the auction yard is a much safer place now that I’m no longer associated with it.
I’ve said this many time before but if your young enough go to a different country now(i recommend europe) and work and live there, because in the United States no matter where you live the restrictions on RSO’s are going to get much worse in the future. That being said if you can get on the computer there are a lot of company’s that have people do customer service from home and pay $15. + an hour. if you are able to travel out of the state being an over the road truck driver pays well. most trades don’t care if you have a past as long as you disclose it up front and right now trades are in high demand, the only exception being plumber/Hvac because sometimes you have to go to peoples houses.(i am sure there are exceptions) and of course owning your own thing is great but they want to know who your clients are and so on so that could be a problem if they are calling your clients asking them if they know your a RSO. Some people have said fast food and so on but i know people that were outed at fast food jobs & Publix and forced the manager to fire them.
I saved this as a pdf file (safe for download) and contacted Governor Ron DeSantis’ office with it. I plan to make sure a copy goes to the local tv and radio stations as well as our Florida congress people.
They want to make it where we can’t work, can’t live anywhere, can’t continue to exist.
@R
But……….some registrants are forced to pay a registration fee. If they cannot work, and cannot afford the fee, do they go to debtors’ prison? Catch 22’s are popping up everywhere now. Damn if you do and damn if you don’t, I say.
Debtor prisons were outlawed by the USG in 1833 and states followed the same afterwards.
You can find work through temporary staffing that oftentimes leads to permanent placement as long as you tell them your past.
Also, a lot of factories hire people with some of the worst convictions because all they want is someone reliable, and they are so big that people can rant and rave all they want and it won’t make a bit of difference because the company has such a large clientelle that relies on them for their product and that is all they care about.
Lastly, you can always work from home, or be self-employed.
Working fast-food, or in any business that has contact with the local public should be considered off-the-table.
Even that is not a given possibility. I had agencies in both Florida and Ohio tell me that they couldn’t help me. I’m classified as low risk too.
I was denied employment delivery flowers, delivering food, being a fry cook, a dishwasher, and even collecting garbage only because I am on the registry. So yes, is it REALLY a shock when an RSO becomes homeless or commits another crime so he can go back to prison?
A lot of the denial has to do with insurance, business insurance, because no matter the risk level, the rates can be more expensive to employ a PFR. I was denied a job outright because of this as told to me by the company who wanted to hire me, but wouldn’t because of what their insurance company told them.
When the courts say the legislated intent of the registry is not punishment, they conveniently overlook the reality of the outcomes from it which society imposes using the law. They will look at other factors with other laws to correct them, but won’t on this one. RBG nailed it straight on when she opined as she did on it, but others did not care to hear what she had to say.