The California Fair Chance Act protects job applicants from discrimination based on their criminal history. If an employer seems to have acted unlawfully, then an individual may file an employment discrimination complaint.In essence, this law prohibits employers from asking about a job applicant's criminal history on a job application. This webpage contains resources for job applicants and employees with an arrest or conviction record, and employers who are considering whether to hire them. BEWARE: New Requirements for How California Employers May Consider Criminal History In Employment Go Into Effect On October 1, 2023. California employers cannot ask about, look into, or consider criminal history at all until the applicant has received a conditional offer of employment. If you recently were denied employment based on your criminal record, the employer may have violated the Fair Chance Act in failing to hire you. New regulations effective October 1, 2023, will impact how employers may consider criminal history in employment decisions. Have You Been Denied Employment Based on a Criminal Conviction? Employers that don't want to hire an applicant based on their criminal record must complete a written assessment and provide a copy to the applicant.