Advocates Sought Protected Status for Criminal Records
Campaigns across the United States aim to curb discrimination against individuals with criminal histories.
Updated on Oct. 5, 2026 in Criminal Justice
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Should cities grant people with criminal records protected class status to prevent housing and employment discrimination?
Advocates are pushing to classify individuals with criminal records as a protected class to prevent systemic discrimination. The movement seeks to address barriers to stable housing, employment, and financing that persist despite existing regulations.
Why it matters
Current legal protections are often narrow and focused only on employment, leaving individuals vulnerable to discrimination in other vital sectors. Proponents argue that broadening these protections is necessary to end permanent exclusion for those with past criminal records.
Several municipalities have adopted local ordinances, such as Minneapolis adding justice-impacted status in 2025 and Atlanta amending its Human Relations Code in 2022. These actions follow Wisconsin's 1977 Fair Employment Act that prohibited record-based hiring bias.
The players
The Protected Class Network
This organization advocates for legislation that addresses discrimination directly by granting protected status to those with criminal records.
The details
The Protected Class Network is spearheading efforts to ensure policy creation includes the voices of justice-impacted individuals from the beginning. By focusing on discrimination directly rather than just limiting employer inquiries, advocates aim to secure access to rental housing, as highlighted in the City of Milwaukee 2025-29 Consolidated Plan & Strategy.
Timeline
Wisconsin prohibited record-based employment discrimination in 1977.
Milwaukee advocates held initial meetings about protected class status in 2021.
Atlanta amended its Human Relations Code to include criminal history status in 2022.
Minneapolis updated its civil rights ordinance to include justice-impacted individuals in 2025.
The City of Milwaukee Consolidated Plan and Strategy covers the 2025-2029 period.
Legal Context
The push for protected status builds upon the legacy of the Wisconsin Fair Employment Act, which has prohibited record-based employment bias since 1977. Current campaigns seek to extend these protections into housing and finance, mirroring the evolution of civil rights statutes.
These policy shifts could lead to significant changes in local rental housing accessibility and hiring practices for individuals with past records. Residents may see local governments update civil rights ordinances to include criminal history status as a protected category.
The takeaway
Advocates emphasize that bringing justice-impacted people into the policy-making process is essential for creating effective anti-discrimination laws. This approach seeks to replace fragmented local rules with broader protections that foster long-term social and economic stability.
Further reading
For broader insight into legal reforms, visit the Criminal Justice section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Milwaukee Courier.
Live Poll
Should cities grant people with criminal records protected class status to prevent housing and employment discrimination?
