As a general rule, Illinois employers cannot discriminate against current or prospective employees simply because an employee has a conviction record. However, an employer can take adverse action against an employee or applicant if the worker’s conviction is substantially related to his job duties or if a particular conviction legally disqualifies him from working in certain positions. People with criminal convictions who are able to maintain gainful employment have a much lower chance of being re-arrested than people who are unable to find work. Illinois’s law seeks to balance the need for people with past convictions to work with the need to keep workplaces safe.
If you are facing criminal charges, you need an experienced Rolling Meadows, IL criminal defense attorney on your side. An attorney may be able to have your charges reduced or dismissed so that they will have even less of an impact on your employment prospects.