Job refusal in WI due to past felony

[smithandy8989]

My husband was offered a job in Wisconsin via an email, pending a background check & drug test. He passed the drug test and was refused the job based on his felony. His felony was back in 1997 and there is nothing else on his record. His felony has nothing to do with the job duties or type of business/company that he had applied for, and it is illegal in WI to refuse someone a job based on felony unless it relates to the job duties. During the hiring process he was told multiple times he was their #1 choice & were anxious to work with him. How can we file a complaint against the company?? We have both the initial letter offering him the job (pending background/drug checks) and the letter he received in the mail stating he'd been denied the job due to his background.

 

[cbg]

I'm not sure which is the regulatory agency for this but I would suggest that you start with the state DOL. If they are the wrong place, they may be able to refer you.

 

[army judge]

Okay, I'll bite, what is the felony that is on his record?

In what state was he convicted?

Or, was this a federal conviction?

My husband was offered a job in Wisconsin via an email, pending a background check & drug test. He passed the drug test and was refused the job based on his felony. His felony was back in 1997 and there is nothing else on his record. His felony has nothing to do with the job duties or type of business/company that he had applied for, and it is illegal in WI to refuse someone a job based on felony unless it relates to the job duties. During the hiring process he was told multiple times he was their #1 choice & were anxious to work with him. How can we file a complaint against the company?? We have both the initial letter offering him the job (pending background/drug checks) and the letter he received in the mail stating he'd been denied the job due to his background.

 

[esteele]

Your husband should consult directly with a lawyer familiar with Wisconsin state law prohibiting employment discrimination based on criminal history and/or with the Wisconsin Equal Rights Division. Counsel with the requisite experience can make an informed assessment of whether he has cause of action or not.