IHRC: Extending the Scope of Employment Legislation-Criminal Convictions

1st May 2005

This report, from the Irish Human Rights Commission (IHRC), was submitted as part of the review of the Employment Equality Act. The right to, and access to, employment should not be infringed upon because of a person's personal background. The document highlights the need for the extension of the grounds of discrimination to include four additional grounds including; Socio-Economic Status/Social Origin; Trade Union Membership; Criminal Conviction/Ex-Offender/Ex-Prisoner; and Political Opinion. 

Offenders and ex-prisoners face difficulty when it comes to gaining employment. Any discrimination shown to them may undermine their ability to gain and retain employment which is an essential part of their rehabilitation and resettlement. IPRT is campaigning to end employment discrimination for ex-offenders and encouraging legislation on spent convictions.

Read more:

• The report can be downloaded here.
• Read IPRT's position paper on Spent Convictions here.
• For more information on the IHRC click here.