October

Los Angeles Unified School District illegally rejects job-seekers who have expunged misdemeanor records, two members of the civil rights group All Of Us or None say in a lawsuit against the district. All Of Us or None, founded in 2003, promotes the civil rights of people who have been convicted of a crime, including help in employment and legislative advocacy.

It sued LAUSD, its Superintendent Michelle King and the top officials in its Personnel Commission and Human Resources Division in Superior Court. California Labor Code states that employers cannot use convictions that have been judicially dismissed or ordered sealed as a factor in determining whether to hire a job candidate, according to the complaint. Both plaintiffs seek to clarify the scope of protection the state offers people who have expunged their records and are looking for employment.

Effective July 29, 2016, HB 4360 revised Illinois law to eliminate what was otherwise considered a lifetime ban on employment for those individuals seeking work in schools who had been convicted of certain non-violent drug offenses. Specifically, the revised law allows individuals convicted of certain drug offenses to regain the right to apply for jobs in Illinois schools after a period of seven years following the end of the sentence for the offense. Advocates of this amendment anticipate that the revised statute will increase job opportunities for people with criminal records who have paid their debt to society and are seeking gainful employment.

The families of victims killed in last year 's shooting at the Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, S.C., are suing the FBI over an error during a background check that allowed the alleged shooter to buy his gun.

The lawsuit comes a year after the mass shooting that sent shock waves through the country. Dylann Roof is charged with opening fire and killing nine black parishioners during a prayer meeting at the historic African American church. In the days after the shooting, FBI Director James B. Comey said in a remarkable disclosure that Roof shouldn 't have been able to buy the gun he allegedly used.

Authorities have said that a clerk 's mistake in how Roof 's arrest was listed prevented the FBI examiner for his background check from seeing it. Roof 's federal trial is scheduled to begin in November, his state trial is also set for later this year but is likely to be rescheduled. He faces the death penalty in both cases