Vermont-Employment-Licensing

Neither public nor private employers may ask about individuals’ criminal history—other than convictions that would trigger disqualification—until an interview or an applicant is otherwise deemed qualified.  Employers and licensing agencies may not ask about or consider expunged or sealed convictions.  A felony conviction may be used to deny an occupational license for over forty professions, although per a 2021 amendment to that law agencies must also consider a variety of mitigating factors before denying a license.  Licensing boards must provide a pre-application determination regarding whether an applicant’s criminal background would be disqualifying. The Uniform Collateral Consequences of Conviction Act authorizes courts to issue orders relieving mandatory collateral sanctions.