Employment and Career

California Fair Chance Act

The Fair Chance Act, which went into effect on January 1, 2018, is a California law that generally prohibits employers with five or more employees from asking about your conviction history before making you a job offer.

Fair Chance Act: Know Your Rights Fair Chance Act: Toolkit


Fair Chance for Occupational Licensing (AB 2138)

AB 2138, which went into effect on July 1, 2020, changes the law about how records can be considered and gives formerly incarcerated people a fair chance at obtaining licensure under the Department of Consumer Affairs. The following licensing boards are affected by the reform.

AB 2138: Know Your Rights

  1. Accountancy, Board of
  2. Acupuncture Board
  3. Arbitration Certification Program
  4. Architects Board, California
  5. Automotive Repair, Bureau of
  6. Barbering and Cosmetology, Board of
  7. Behavioral Sciences, Board of
  8. Cannabis Control, Bureau of
  9. Cemetery and Funeral Bureau
  10. Chiropractic Examiners, Board of
  11. Contractors State License Board
  12. Court Reporters Board
  13. Dental Board of California
  14. Dental Hygiene Board of California
  15. Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists, Board for Professional
  16. Guide Dogs for the Blind, State Board of
  17. Household Goods and Services, Bureau of
  18. Landscape Architects Technical Committee
  19. Medical Board of California
  20. Naturopathic Medicine Committee
  21. Occupational Therapy, California Board of
  22. Optometry, Board of
  23. Osteopathic Medical Board of California
  24. Pharmacy, Board of
  25. Physical Therapy Board of California
  26. Physician Assistant Board
  27. Podiatric Medical Board of California
  28. Professional Fiduciaries Bureau
  29. Psychology, Board of
  30. Real Estate Appraisers, Bureau of
  31. Registered Nursing, Board of
  32. Respiratory Care Board
  33. Security and Investigative Services, Bureau of
  34. Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology and Hearing Aid Dispensers Board
  35. Structural Pest Control Board
  36. Veterinary Medical Board
  37. Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians, Board of