Mayor Linda Gorton was joined by community partners today to announce an expanded “Clean Slate Lexington” expungement clinic and conference designed for businesses and residents.
The event will provide an opportunity to learn about transformational workforce development, fair hiring practices, and how to begin the expungement process for low-level criminal offenses, providing second chances for employment, education, and housing. The event is set for Tuesday, Oct. 31, at Central Bank Center.
“Our Clean Slate Expungement Clinics have been heavily attended,” Mayor Linda Gorton said. “This year we’re expanding to include a conference for residents and businesses.”
The clinic and conference will continue the work of dismantling barriers for everyone in our city, a key component of the Mayor’s Commission for Racial Justice and Equality report.
The City’s Equity and Implementation Officer Tiffany Brown, who is again coordinating the event, said, “Clean Slate Lexington aims to help serve those who have been marginalized due to past criminal convictions that have kept them from housing opportunities, educational advancement, and employment. We know that low level offenses can keep members of our community from accessing basic needs, and the goal of this event is to further promote equity, inclusion and diversity so all walks of life are represented in our workplaces, communities, and educational institutions. The City is thankful to our partners who have helped make this event successful.”
Bob Quick, Commerce Lexington Inc. President & CEO, said Clean Slate will provide helpful information to businesses and residents, alike. “We are very excited to be a part of this year’s Clean Slate Conference and Clinic. In recent years, Commerce Lexington has been an advocate of legislation at the state level to ease the expungement process, as well as a partner in local expungement informational events,” Quick said. “This event not only provides an important service to individuals seeking to re-enter the workforce, but it also greatly assists employers across our region who are looking to expand through second-chance employment. It’s a win-win for our people and the businesses that serve the area.”
In Kentucky, expungement reform has been occurring for over 30 years. In 2016, the state legislature expanded expungement eligibility to include additional Class D felonies. In 2019, the expungement law was expanded to include hundreds of Class D felonies. Eligibility details will be available at the Clean Slate event.
“At Legal Aid of the Bluegrass, we are very excited to be participating in Lexington’s Clean Slate Conference and Clinic,” said Robert Johns, Executive Director of Legal Aide of the Bluegrass. “We are committed to serving people in need of expungement to increase their opportunities for better jobs and housing. Expungement can be life-changing, and we appreciate Lexington putting a spotlight on expungement and second chance employment.”
In addition to Legal Aide of the Bluegrass and Commerce Lexington, partners include:
- University of Kentucky Gatton College of Business and Economics
- Chase Bank
- WORK Lexington
Registration and a background check are required for those interested in participating in the Clean Slate Lexington Expungement Clinic and Job Fair. There will also be ways to learn how to “DO It (Expungement) Yourself” at this event.
This is a full day event with speakers from the business community on their fair chance hiring practices, testimonials from individuals who have overcome their justice-involved past, fair chance policy and education and career paths for those with previous justice involvement.
The event will take place 8 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 31, at Central Bank Center, 425 West High St. Find details and register at lexingtonky.gov/expungement.
