It’s hard enough to find a job in this economy but with a felony on your record, the employment pickings are even thinner. 

But for 15,000 people that barrier has been removed with the Clean Slate program, which allows San Franciscans convicted of crimes to clear their criminal history after going through rehabilitation.

The program – the first of its kind – will celebrate its tenth anniversary on Thursday at the Westbay Conference Center on Fillmore Street. On hand will be Public Defender, who created the program in 1999, Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi and dozens of people who have gone through the program and went on to secure jobs.

Since it was established, the program has been copied elsewhere in California, including in Santa Clara and Alameda counties.