NEW ORLEANS – Alyssa graduated in May from nursing school with honors hoping to improve her family’s future. Yet, because of a past offense, the 38-year-old can’t get a job as a licensed practical nurse (LPN), even though Louisiana faces a nursing shortage with more than 6,000 positions open statewide.
The problem lies in overly restrictive occupational licensing regulations that block people with criminal histories, like Alyssa, from getting work. She didn’t learn of her disqualification until she’d completed two years of school and graduated.
Occupational licensing is government permission to work in a particular field. Advocates say the regulations behind licensing are particularly burdensome for communities of color and lower-income communities, especially for formerly incarcerated people, a group that includes anyone with a felony conviction, or even if someone has an arrest on their record.
“I felt blindsided,” said Alyssa, who spoke anonymously to the PBS NewsHour and wanted to use a different name, fearing retribution from licensing boards. “It’s something that should have come at the beginning of the program when I was trying to get into the program versus me going through it, succeeding, and graduating with honors,” “Now, it’s like there’s no hope. Yet, all my classmates are working as nurses, and here I am just waiting my turn.”
Alyssa, who’s married and has a seven-year-old son, served 11 months for a marijuana possession charge nearly 10 years ago....
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