Latest data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows there's nearly half a million open jobs in New York State and 8.8 million nationwide.  "The one thing I hear every single day is we need people," said Crystal Griffith, who serves as Director of Workforce Development for The Business Council. "We don't have a workforce.  We need people.  Or we have people and people are leaving."  The Business Council believes Clean Slate Legislation would help fill the gap and boost the economy.  The legislation would seal certain criminal convictions for those who served their sentences, giving them more opportunity to clear hurdles to obtain housing, education or employment.  "When you give someone a second chance they sometimes turn out to be some of your most loyal Employees that you have, the hardest working employees that you have," Griffith said.

To Directly Access This Labor News Story, Go To: ‘We need people’: Clean Slate act could help address labor shortage in New York (wkbw.com)