Having a criminal record can present significant obstacles to employment, particularly for Black, Indigenous, Asian, and Latinx communities. It is illegal in Minnesota for a potential employer to ask about your criminal background on an initial job application.Minnesota law does not require private employers to hire or give preference to a person with a criminal record. Criminal Convictions. Violent, sexual, drug, and theft-related convictions disqualify you from working in the health care field. If a background investigation is conducted and an applicant has a criminal record, then the employer must perform an individualized assessment. Second, you have to give signed consent before a credit, employment, or criminal background check can be run. Pool of job applicants with criminal records looking for employment in Minnesota. File a discrimination complaint online. Employers are still allowed to deny positions to persons with criminal records if the crime is relevant to the position's duties.