The question of hiring applicants with a criminal record is at times a tricky one for employers, especially for small business owners who are not guided by human resources policies that bigger corporations follow. Hiring ex-cons present conflicting approaches. On one hand, there is an implicit bias against them in general. Then again, our charitable nature prods us to give them a second chance at redeeming themselves. Further, federal and state laws protect job applicants with criminal records from discrimination by employers.
