Miya’s Law clears second Senate hurdle
The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Environment & General Government unanimously passed a bill (SB 898), known as “Miya’s Law,” aimed at improving tenant safety in apartment buildings by requiring background screenings for employees. The background screening must include a national screening of criminal history records and sexual predator and sexual offender registries. The screening would specifically include criminal offenses involving violence or a disregard for the safety of others, and allow a landlord to disqualify individuals with criminal records from employment.
I know this is irrelevant but I have to comment on a bill titled, “ Don’t Say Gaetz” aimed at educating high schoolers about the dangers they face everyday. It even states Rep. Matt Gaetz is the biggest threat to Florida’s children. Just find it interesting that it’s being debated in the house and I wonder what Don Gaetz thinks of his son not being very popular. Frat boy life ends sometimes and it’s time for Matt to take down the beer pong and take responsibility for his actions.
There is no such bill. This was from a satire column in the New Yorker.
I saw that it was satire after I hit submit. Nothing that comes out of Florida surprises me anymore and sometimes I wish the satire bills would actually come to life. Just hoping that Rep. Gaetz is held accountable for his actions because I’m getting really tired of the Florida ole boy system.
I was a state licensed professional with advanced degrees in my field. I had current, positive letters of recommendation from my former employer, despite having been terminated upon my arrest and conviction. I worked hard to maintain my licensing requirements while I was incarcerated and came out with all my credentials intact. It had required filing several grievances with FDOC and the intervention of the local state representative from my home county.
About 90 days after being released I received a letter from a recruiter about a position with a local government in south Florida. I applied and was asked to come down and interview.
I went to the interview that was extensive and professionally comprehensive. We even talked about compensation amounts and agreed on a salary that I’d receive if I were selected. At the end of the 8 hour interview process when they always ask “is there anything else you’d like to discuss” I very openly and thoroughly talked about my legal situation and my medical issues that restricted me from some job tasks. The committee said that they weren’t things that couldn’t be worked with or accommodated. I almost laughed when the representative from Human Resources on the interview committee seemed to want to slide under the table.
When the interview process was completed I walked out with a couple of the folks from the Utility Administration and they openly talked about how impressed they were with the interview. Again, I talked about my legal situation and the requirements of my probation and sex offender statutes. They all said that they understood but that they wouldn’t have an issue with that.
About 2 1/2 weeks later I received a letter offering me the position. I even got several calls from my supposed future coworkers and even my future boss saying they looked forward to working with me. I responded immediately that I accepted the offer and began to make plans to relocate. With the employment letter in hand probation (here and down south) immediately approved the move as I was able to secure a place to live in a neighboring county than was approved by all parties. Even the judge that had to approve it responded with in several hours with a very positive letter of approval. I actually contacted my future employer and received a waiver of the county residency requirements.
The day after I had everything approved and had set up the move (within the next 2 days) I received a letter from Human Resources rescinding the job offer as my background check had revealed (“disqualifying issue”)….. tried to contact the folks involved down there, even my PO here tried but nobody would even take our calls. I had also received employment offers from several private utility companies but was unable to pass the qualification physical. These people gladly took my calls afterwards and openly told me that it actually was the medical issues that disqualified me.
This sent me into a months long state of depression and hopelessness. I was able to climb out of that and eventually moved on to a financial level that allows me to live safely.
This speaks very clearly about employer’s ability to maneuver around any supposedly legal protections that we have.