Hiring As A Second Chance

Originally published at Forbes.com

You make a lot of potentially life-changing decisions when you’re a boss. You promote someone — or you have to let them go. You give someone a raise. You send a new product into the world. 

But none of these has been as life changing as the times my partner and I have been able to give a job candidate a second chance at life simply by hiring them. These are employees who were once in prison or rehab or who came to us from a sober living house. In too many cases, having those experiences on a job record has proved detrimental to career opportunities. In fact, according to the National HIRE Network, “Nearly 75% of formerly incarcerated individuals are still unemployed a year after release.” And when 1 in 3 American adults has a criminal record, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures, that’s both a disaster and an opportunity that’s currently being wasted.

Fortunately, many large companies — like Walmart, Starbucks, Home Depot and more — have changed their hiring practices to include people with criminal records. And in the case of our small business, every time we’ve hired someone with a criminal record or who has gone through rehab, we’ve been paid back with exceptional productivity, increased loyalty and overall great morale. For the employees, it’s meant a chance to prove themselves and to excel, setting them up for a successful future.

Here are some key reasons it makes sense to give people a second chance — and how you can do the same in a way that offers the best path to success for everyone.

Employment lowers recidivism rates.

Here’s a shocking fact: According to a Bureau of Labor Statistics study, 83% of state prisoners were rearrested during the first nine years after their release. Is that because they’re hopeless career criminals? Maybe for a few. But studies consistently show that lack of education and lack of employment are linked with recidivism rates. Basically, you can help people stay out of jail by giving them a job. This doesn’t apply to just any employment — if people only have fast-food job options, that does not lower recidivism rates. But if they can get jobs in construction or manufacturing, or in jobs that offer the potential for growth, that correlates with a decrease in returns to prison.

You get hard work, dedication and gratitude.

Our experience mirrors those of other small businesses: The people we’ve hired have demonstrated hard work and dedication. According to the ACLU report “Back to Business: How Hiring Formerly Incarcerated Job Seekers Benefits Your Company,” when employers hire ex-offenders, “Retention rates are higher, turnover is lower, and employees with criminal records are more loyal.”

One of our best employees is an ex-offender with a wife and children, who humbly and happily started his career with us at the bottom of the totem pole: on the assembly line. One year later, he had done such outstanding work that he was promoted to line manager. He’s now been with us two and a half years and is such a role model that we profiled him in a Father’s Day post on our company blog! 

People who have gone to rehab for drug or alcohol issues are already outstanding in one key way: Although 40 million Americans meet the criteria for substance addiction, only 10% receive treatment. 

You can help change the story.

You can provide the example that ex-offenders and people just out of rehab are not only worthy of employment, but they can also benefit the whole community with increased productivity and even safety. 

One very dramatic example: In the past, prisoners who worked alongside professional firefighters during California’s wildfires were barred from becoming firefighters themselves due to their criminal records. But this fall, in the midst of the worst wildfires the state has ever seen, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill to expunge the records of certain prisoners (violent and sex offenders excluded), making them eligible for EMT training en route to becoming professional firefighters.

You can get a tax break.

Another big incentive may be money. Note that this only applies to hiring an ex-offender, but the benefits are pretty significant. Thanks to the federal Work Opportunity Tax Credit, employers who hire a qualified ex-felon can claim a tax credit of up to 25% of their first year’s wages if the employee works at least 120 hours, and 40% if they work over 400. If you’re a small business owner, your state or municipality may also offer additional incentives.

How to make it work: Set them up to succeed. 

Just throwing someone into a new job and letting them sink or swim is a recipe for disaster. Here are ways you can have the greatest possible chance of success:

• Give clear guidelines and expectations. Everyone needs a well-defined job description and clear targets to hit, and this is particularly true for ex-offenders and those recently out of rehab. 

• Make sure there’s a true pathway for growth so they don’t feel stuck in a dead-end job or that they’re being patronized with menial tasks.

• Pair them with a mentor who can offer guidance and answer questions.

• Encourage them to continue their education, and/or provide workplace training that can equip them for increasing responsibility.

• Schedule regular one-on-one conversations to hear how it’s going and to give feedback.

Giving someone a second chance doesn’t mean doing them a favor. It means seizing a great opportunity that has huge potential benefits for both sides.

Jobs for Felons: The Facts about Companies that Hire Ex offenders and Felons

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Hiring As A Second Chance

Eric Mayo   

This company is hiring without asking about candidates’ backgrounds — here’s why

Originally published on CNBC - Karina Hernandez
Wed, Feb 26 2020

Inquiries into your criminal background are standard when filling out a job application. But for folks who have experienced life behind bars, their prospects of getting hired are cut in half, hindering their ability to settle back into society.


The Body Shop, the cosmetics brand from the United Kingdom, wants to lend a helping hand for marginalized people struggling to get a job. This summer, the company will implement “open hiring” — a hiring process that employs anyone on a first-come first-serve basis without asking about criminal and educational backgrounds — in all of its North American stores. The Body Shop claims it is the first retailer to do so in the United States.

“For us it’s not about filling roles and hiring more people,” said Andrea Blieden, the U.S. general manager for The Body Shop. “This is about setting an example as a brand about how this can be a force for good and fight injustices in society that exist, like unequal access to employment.”


How ‘open hiring’ began

The concept of open hiring is often credited to Greyston Bakery, which was established in 1982 in Yonkers, New York. People can sign up for a job at the factory and are immediately hired once a position becomes available.

New hires go through an apprenticeship program to learn the job’s duties and basic life skills. Completion of the apprenticeship leads to an entry-level position with Greyston Bakery, which supplies Ben & Jerry’s with brownies and sells its own brownies at Whole Foods.

Lucas Tanner, chief operating officer of Greyston Bakery, considers the hiring practice to be revolutionary. “We profoundly believe that open hiring, even though it’s a simple idea and it’s an extraordinary idea, can change the world,” said Tanner.

Open hiring can also change lives. Arthur, 50, had been in and out of prison since he was 16 years old, and his criminal record affected his chances of obtaining a steady job. “So many people judge you by your background and mistakes you did in your past,” he said. “They will slam the door on you right away.”

But 19 months ago, Greyston Bakery took a chance on Arthur. He was immediately hired after patiently waiting eight months to land an interview with the company. “I wasn’t judged,” said Arthur. “Right off the bat I was given an opportunity.”

Oftentimes, companies ask Tanner whether the new hires are ever violent. He said that is a misconception of open hiring. “We’ve never witnessed that,” said Tanner.

Starting ‘open hiring’ with larger employers

In 2018, the company launched the Center for Open Hiring to aid other businesses in adopting similar practices. One of their clients is The Body Shop.

In September 2019, Greyston helped the company transform its North Carolina distribution center into a pilot program. Background checks and educational requirements were removed for the 208 seasonal workers hired at the distribution center. Only three questions were asked during the application process: “Are you authorized to work in the United States?,” “Can you stand for up to eight hours?” and “Can you lift over 50 pounds?”

Since the start of the program, the company saw a 60% decline in employee turnover in 2019 compared to 2018. These results convinced The Body Shop to take this initiative to its stores, in hopes of giving a second chance to marginalized communities, like formerly incarcerated people.

A 2018 report by the Prison Policy Initiative found that 27% of ex-offenders are unemployed, compared to just 5.2% of the general population. Those who have earnings when released from prison earn less than a full-time worker earning minimum wage.

“All of these barriers that come into people’s way can be lessened when someone has some independence,” said Han Lu, a policy analyst at National Employment Law Project, “which is usually found in a salary or a wage.”

In a time when employers are voicing concerns over a labor shortage, Lu believes it’s an opportunity for employers to take the lead and abandon criminal background checks. “Workers with records tend to be more reliable and can have less turnover,” explained Lu. “It’s a place where employers can have a big impact in the communities that they exist in.”

The Body Shop sees the potential in this untapped population. “You are expanding your employment opportunities and you are giving people a chance they might have not had,” said Blieden, “and the goal would be that you have less employees turn.”

Formerly incarcerated employees perform as well or better, studies show

Prior studies explain the benefits for an employer when hiring people with a criminal background. In a study of military members, experts found that among 1.3 million ex-felons in the military, those with a criminal record performed as well or better than those with no record.Often times, ex-felons were promoted faster to higher ranks.

In 2016, John Hopkins Hospital shared results of a five-year study on 500 ex-offenders it hired. There was a lower turnover rate in the first 40 months, compared to non-offenders.

But not everyone is on board with these types of hiring practices. Opponents say ex-offender friendly initiatives, like “ban the box” or “fair chance hiring,” come along with unintended consequences. Initiatives like “ban the box” or “fair chance hiring” differ slightly from “open hiring” because applicants still deal with the typical job application process, but any questions regarding criminal history are removed. In contrast, people are automatically hired through open hiring without a formal job application or interview.

A study claims that when criminal history information is removed during the hiring process, it can actually lead to an “increase of statistical discrimination against demographic groups that include more ex-offenders,” like black and Latino men, because of the assumption that they are more likely to possess a criminal record. These findings have been disputed by economists.

The movement for inclusive hiring gained some momentum in December 2019 when President Donald Trump signed the Fair Chance Act as part of the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act. Federal agencies and contractors will be barred from inquiring about criminal records before a job offer. It will take effect at the end of 2021.

Just like the federal government, Andrea Blieden hopes other companies join The Body Shop to take a chance on those who have been locked out of the labor market. “We take chances every single day at work, in life,” said Blieden, “and this is probably one of the best chances that we have taken, and we’re really excited about it.”

Jobs for Felons: Companies Pledge Second Chance Opportunities

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This company is hiring without asking about candidates’ backgrounds — here’s why

Eric Mayo

Why JPMorgan Chase Wants to Give More Former Criminals a Second Chance

Why JPMorgan Chase Wants to Give More Former Criminals a Second Chance

Originally published on Fortune.com By Matthew Heimer October 21, 2019

In 2018, financial giant JPMorgan Chase hired more than 20,000 people in the U.S. Roughly 10% of them—about 2,100—had a criminal history. And if CEO Jamie Dimon’s plans are realized, those employees will eventually be joined by many more co-workers with similar blotches on their records. 

JPMorgan today is announcing several major steps to encourage second-chance hiring for those with criminal records. The bank is officially "banning the box"—removing all questions about criminal records from its job applications. It will steer more than $7 million toward organizations that provide job- and life-skills training to the formerly incarcerated. The bank is also launching a new “policy center,” a think tank of sorts that will design and advocate for regulatory changes around certain economic issues. Its first agenda item: reforming rules that effectively bar former felons from employment, in finance and elsewhere.

In an interview with Fortune, Dimon described the new campaign as an offshoot of the bank’s widening economic-revitalization campaign, an effort that has involved steering financing, training and expertise to cash-starved neighborhoods, particularly in Detroit and Chicago. Those campaigns, he said, had exposed more of the bank’s leaders to the challenges faced by “returning citizens” with felonies on their records. “They can’t get jobs, they can’t rent a home,” Dimon said. “Socially, they’re on the margins.”

The bank’s moves come at a time of growing bipartisan support for criminal-justice reforms that could help better integrate former offenders in the economy. Those include reductions of penalties for some minor misdemeanors, as well as measures that could help people more easily expunge their criminal records. There are about 70 million working-age adults in the U.S. with either an arrest record or a criminal conviction, according to a report by the Brennan Center for Justice. Research suggests people with such blemishes are much less likely to make it past a first job interview. And a 2018 study put the unemployment rate among formerly incarcerated people at 27%, many times higher than the wider jobless rate.

JPMorgan stresses that its focus is on building opportunities in entry level jobs for people whose past offenses were relatively minor—think DUIs, disorderly conduct, or low-level drug possession. (Hiring hardened criminals or fraudsters to work in sensitive financial positions remains well out of bonds.) The bank’s early pilot programs in building an employment pipeline for candidates that qualify will be focused in Chicago, where JPMorgan launched a $40 million neighborhood revitalization campaign in 2017. 

A new policy arm

Heather Higginbottom, a former State Department official during the Obama administration, will begin tackling issues related to returning citizens in her new role as head of the JPMorgan Chase PolicyCenter. At the top of the agenda, she told Fortune, is working with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. to ease rules that make it hard for financial institutions to make second-chance hires. Other priorities, she said, include campaigning at the state and local level for broader ban-the-box rules; making criminal-record expungement automatic for low-level convictions; and changing rules that enable courts to suspend the drivers’ licenses of minor offenders—a punishment that often hamstrings someone’s ability to get or hold down a job.  

The PolicyCenter will eventually take on a range of other issues related to economic inclusion. Dimon said he envisions the center “digging into everything that creates income volatility—tax payments, healthcare, having to get your car fixed.” Higginbottom added, “The criteria is: Do we have unique expertise and experience? We’re looking at things like retirement savings, affordable housing, areas where we bring a lot of data to bear.” 

What made second-chance hiring the first priority? Dimon said one catalyst for the decision was Bryan Stevenson, the law professor, defense attorney, and executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative. Stevenson spoke to top JPMorgan Chase executives in 2018 about criminal-justice reform and racial inequities. People in the audience “were absolutely speechless and teary-eyed,” Dimon recalled. “The injustices of the system—that motivates people.” 

Why JPMorgan Chase Wants to Give More Former Criminals a Second Chance

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Why JPMorgan Chase Wants to Give More Former Criminals a Second Chance

 Felon Mom having a Rough Job Search

I was looking through the newspaper trying to find something, anything  to support my family. Fifteen years ago I was convicted of a felony. I was twenty years old never been in trouble before and have never been in trouble since then. I didn't spend time in jail but I did do five years probation and was discharged. Now here I am 35 years old no job, no future and a family that is struggling because I can't help. I can’t even get hired at fast food places. I had a great job working for the State through a temporary agency but it was great. I was about to be hired and they did a background check on me. The agency knew about my record and still hired me, but after my background came back I was fired on the spot. Forget that I had been there for 2 years everyday and worked very hard for them. Companies have the chance to hire good workers but they pass us by everyday. Every one makes mistakes, but there are many like me who want to work, and support their families but can't get a break anywhere. My husband works every day and he works very hard to take care of us. I am very proud of him, but he will never understand how I feel. I have been out oft work for over a year now and I am getting depressed. There are things I want for my family and myself but getting a job is the first step. My husband works but his paycheck is not enough to pay all of our bills. We ave a small son and we feel bad because there isn't money for birthday or Christmas gifts or anything that make kids happy.  I had all of those things  I have never begged for a hand out, all I want is a little break so my family won't be so stressed. The stress alone is killing my marriage! My family does not deserve to live like this all because of something I did in my past.  My family deserves better than this.  

The world looks at us like once a criminal always a criminal and that's not always the case.  It makes drives me crazy when I see people living off the government.  You got women that keep having babies just to collect more welfare and free government housing.  I have been on the waiting list for for housing for ten years and I have heard nothing!  I see illegal immigrants coming over here that open restaurants, hotels, stores and then you got the ones that come over here and collect welfare for years. Where is the justice when people who were born here can't get anything? My family is forced to live in run down apartments in because we can not afford anything better. We are forced to deal with awful landlords that don’t fix anything but still want their rent  or throw you out.

My hopes of opening up my own business are slowly fading away.  My husband tries to encourage me not to give up but after the year we have had I know it will never happen for me and I promise if it does I won't keep them from a job because of something they did in the past. People can change and I am living proof! I don’t want to think that this is the life God has in store for me but I am starting to wonder, am I going to live the rest of my life like this?


This is Haley

Felon Mom having a Rough Job Search 

 

Hello Haley,

I'm sorry you are having so much trouble in your job search. I also see that the stress is taking it's toll on you.  Because of this, finding a job may not be the only situation you are dealing with.  My suggestion is to
contact your local Salvation Army.  The Salvation Army could put you in touch with some social services that could lend some immediate help to your family.

Next you  should contact your local United Way office.  The United Way provides support for a number of agencies.  Perhaps they would
have knowledge of advocacy groups that specialize in assisting felons or women. They could help you with some things until you can find work.

You mentioned that you worked for a temp service for two years.  Perhaps that route could help you again.  You can also try your local One-stop Career Center.  You will find a variety of free services that can help you get a job.  You can also find lists of open jobs in your area.  You may be eligible for job search related benefits such as child care and transportation passes.

You can find your local One-stop here:

http://www.serviclocator.org

There are more companies willing to give qualified people with criminal records opportunities to get hired.  Ex-offenders and felons will find that having a criminal record will not automatically disqualify them from jobs.  Click the image below get a huge list of companies that hire felons.

I hope this helps.

Jobs for Felons: Getting a Job with a Criminal Record

Jobs for Felons: How to Make a Job Search Plan

Jobs for Felons: #1 Secret of Successful Female Career Changers

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Felon Mom having a Rough Job Search

Recovering felon needs a job

Recovering felon needs a job

I have a felony conviction for theft.  It's the only spot on my otherwise clean record. I am a compulsive gambler who is attending Gamblers Anonymous and getting treatment from a psychiatrist. I have been looking for work for a long, long time and can't even get a call back.

Previously I worked as an accountant but my addiction will keep me from that type of work.  I would like a shipping/receiving or an inside sales position or maybe a dispatch job. All these positions are ones that I worked before I started my accounting career.

Recovering felon needs a job

First of all I wish you success on your recovery.  I'm not sure what state you live in but some states offer what is known as Certificate of Rehabilitation.  A Certificate of Rehabilitation is a court order, which declares that a person who has been convicted of a felony is rehabilitated.  If a petition for a Certificate of Rehabilitation is granted, it is forwarded to the Governor by the granting court and constitutes an application for a pardon. 

This information is not intended as legal advice.  You should consult a qualified professional that is experienced in this field.   One option is to contact your local legal aid office where you may qualify for free or low cost legal services that can help with this process.  The legal aid office may also have relationships with employers who are willing to hire ex-offenders or felons.  Check your local telephone directory to find the legal aid office nearest you

A suggestion I make to all ex-offenders and felons looking for jobs is to go to your nearest One-stop Career Center.

One-stop Career Centers are very underutilized resources that ex-offenders and felons can use not only to gain employment, but to get vocational guidance and preparation. Also, these centers offer a long list of useful services. Some services available are:

Career planning and counseling

Workshops (Resume Writing, Interviewing Skills, and related topics.)

Computers with internet access and word processing

Daily access to thousands of job listings


Job-related magazines and local newspapers

Job postings and referrals

Printers, fax machines, phones, and copiers for job searching

Every center is staffed with trained counselors that provide one-on-one help for job seekers. Many of them have experience helping ex-offenders and felons looking for jobs.

As stated in a previous post, you can find your nearest center here:

www.servicelocator.org


I hope this helps.

Please Rate This Post at the Top!

Jobs for Ex-offenders and Felons: Where Ex-offenders and Felons Can Find Jobs

Are you an Ex-offender with a criminal record? You could have your question answered right here. Email your question to: adogzheart2@gmail.com.

 

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Recovering felon needs a job

 Jobs for Ex-offenders and Felons: How to Get a Job

When ex-offenders and felons are released, the main priority is finding a job.  A lot a people talk about second chances, but the realty is that finding a job is going to be hard.  Hard does not mean impossible.  Hard means it's going to take a lot of hard word work and determination.  Here are some tips that will make finding a job a easier for people who are serious about getting jobs and turning their lives around.

Jobs for Ex-offenders and Felons: How to Get a Job

Jobs for Ex-offenders and felons: Criminal Records

The absolute first thing I tell my students is to get a copy of their criminal records.  Somewhere in the job search the question of having a record is going to come up, either on an application or when a background check is done.  I encourage my students to be totally honest whenever questioned about a criminal background.  To do this, you must know exactly what is on your criminal record.

The easiest way to get an accurate copy or your record is ask your parole or probation officer.  They are in position to get this for you. If you do not have a probation or parole officer, you can get one from the FBI.  The FBI will provide the most accurate criminal background check available.  You can get more information on getting this copy here:

https://www.fbi.gov/services/cjis/identity-history-summary-checks

There is an 18.00 fee for this report, but if you do not have the money an you can prove that you are indigent, you can receive this report for free

Jobs for Ex-offenders and felons: How Ex-offenders and Felons Can Find Jobs

The second suggestion I make to my students is to take a trip to the local One-stop Career Center.  This used to be called the employment office.  Here you will found a long list of services that can help you get a job.  There are computers that you can use to apply for jobs online and put together a resume.  If you do not know how to build a resume, you can get help doing this.  There are interview skill building classes and other classes that can get you ready for a job.  You will find a list of open jobs in you immediate area.  There are also counselors available that can assist you in your job search.  All of these service are free of charge.  You can find the nearest One-stop Career Center at the link below

http://servicelocator.org

Jobs for Ex-offenders and felons: Networking to find Jobs

Perhaps the most powerful method of finding a job is networking.  Networking is simply contacting people you already to find available jobs.  Simply talk to people you know and asking them if they know of any jobs that are open.  This seems too simple, but this is how most people find jobs. Start with your friends, neighbors, church group, elected officials and others you come in contact with frequently.

Jobs for Ex-offenders and felons: Get a Resume

I do not send my students out on a job search without a well written resume. A resume is a way to combine your skills, education, education and training in a neat package.  A resume can sell you even when you are not around.  If you do not have a good resume, I suggest you get help putting one together.  As I noted above, you can get free assistance with your next resume at you local One-stop Career center.

After you get a resume, keep plenty with you wherever you go.  You never know who you are going to meet.  Always be prepared.

Jobs for Ex-offenders and felons: Get Dressed to Find a Job

Anyone looking for a job, not just ex-offenders and felons, should understand the power of making a great impression.  Nothing does this better than a nice outfit, clean shoes and nice hairstyle.  All of this should add up to an appearance that looks professional.  Your look should say, "I am the person for this Job."  Felons get hired everyday.  They stand a better chance of getting the jobs they want when they look like they are worthy of the job.  Employer want to feel like they re hiring quality people.

Men should wear a dark suit or sports jacket with a light colored shirt and a color coordinated tie.  You always wear a pair of shoes that could be and should be shined.  Never ever wear boots or sneakers to an interview.If you do not have a suit definitely wear  light shirt.  Make sure your clothes are cleaned and pressed.

If you shave, make sure you are cleanly shaven.   If you wear a beard or mustache, make sure it is neat and trimmed.

The best look for women is a suit with a knee-length skirt or pants and a light colored blouse.  Be sure to to wear natural looking pantyhose.  The best shoes are neat looking pumps with heels that are not too high.    Make up should not be heavy and avoid bright colored or black nail polish.  Keep jewelry to a minimum.  One necklace, one ring, one bracelet per wrist and earrings no larger than a quarter.

Shower on the day of the interview.  Just use a fresh smelling soap.  Avoid cologne or oils.  You don't want to chance a negative reaction.    Do not eat or smoke before your interview.  Be sure to brush your teeth.  Your breath should be fresh and your teeth clean.

Do your absolute best to look like a professional on your interview.  Looking like a professional will show respect four yourself, the interviewer and the opportunity to interview.

Practice Interviewing

The best thing you can do prepare for an interview is to practice.  Practice your body language and posture.  Anticipate the questions that the interviewer might ask and come up with good answers to those questions.  Practice answering the questions but do not memorize them.  Practice them until they sound natural.  Get someone to pose as the interviewer and record your practice interviews.

Always us appropriate language when interviewing and never use slang.  Listen carefully and be sure to answer every question completely but do not talk too much.  Be prepared to talk about your criminal record but don't focus on it.  Instead, focus on what you have done to improve yourself.

Nothing takes the place of preparation.  Practice until you feel confident and you will do well.

Jobs for Felons: Ten Tricks Interviewers Use

Ex-offenders and felons who have paid their debt to society may believe that they deserve a second chance. This sound good but opportunities are not given.  They are earned. You will have to work for each and every chance you will get. With genuine hard work and sincere desire to better your life, you can make a ton of opportunities for yourself.

Jobs for Ex-offenders and felons: How to Get a Job

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Eric Mayo

Ex-offenders and felons should always be honest when applying for jobs

 

Hello,

I have a police record. One charge is for domestic violence. It shows assault and battery. I was ordered to counseling, Which turned into grief counseling because of the reasons the fight happened. The other charge is a false charge that I am in the process of requesting expungement. There were no charges or a court hearing. I was having a drink with a friend. A known drug dealer was in the bar and asked to buy me a drink. I did not accept, we talked for about 5 minutes and he left. All of a sudden an undercover policeman shows me his badge and asked if we can talk outside. I go out with him and was questioned about the drug dealer. I said I didn't know him and had no information to offer. Before I knew it there were police cars, I was in handcuffs and put in jail for 3 days. 3 times a day I was taken from my cell and questioned. Every time I had no informational new charges kept getting added to my record.

After 3 days I was released and my record now shows dangerous drugs. Both of these happened 20 years ago. I have passed 3 tests to be a TSA screener my 4th test is Tuesday. When I pass this they will run a background check. At what point do I explain this to someone? I currently work at KMart and they ran a background check but hired me without asking questions. It was the same with Home Depot as well! Do you know if TSA is strict about 20 years ago? Do you know if they ask for an explanation of my background? I really need a job with a good paycheck and I've always wanted this particular job!

Thank you for helping me!

Sincerely,

Sally

Ex-offenders and felons should always be honest when applying for jobs

Hello Sally,

Generally speaking, when talking about records, employers are concerned with convictions and not charges. As I tell all ex-offenders and felons looking for jobs, answer honestly on both applications and interviews. If applications asks for convictions, only lists convictions, not charges. As far as interviews, nearly all of the questions will be related to information from your application. I encourage ex-offenders and felons not to volunteer information that is not asked for.

Expungement, or sealing does not erase records but hides them from public view. If an is granted the conviction will always be visible to government agencies, the court system and law enforcement. You mentioned that you have applied for a TSA position. Since this is a government position, all of your charges will be visible. Once again, if questioned, always answer honestly.

I hope this helps.

Background Checks and Criminal Records

Employment Background Checks: Know Your Rights

 

'Eric Mayo helps Felons and Ex-offenders get Jobs.

 

 Ex-offenders and felons should always be honest when applying for jobs

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Former felons deserve a second chance

The Times Herald - Published 3:42 p.m. ET Sept. 11, 2018

One of the things that is Pure Michigan is sending people to prison. Although incarceration rates have fallen the past few years, there are three times as many people in Michigan prisons now than there were four decades ago. If Michigan were a country, it would have one of the top 20 incarceration rates in the world and would likely be on a State Department watch list.

More than six of every 100 Michiganders is in prison. About twice as many are former felons, those who have been released from prison, although many are still repaying a debt to society they no long owe.

It turns out that society needs them. Michigan needs them to get up in the morning and come to work. For many, though, that isn’t possible because one of the first things many employers ask, after name and address on a job application, is whether the applicant has been convicted of a felony.

One of those who would have to answer yes is the voice of those Pure Michigan commercials. Ten years before “Home Improvement” and 18 years before the debut of the state tourism campaign, Tim Allen was paroled from federal prison where he was serving three to seven years after being arrested with almost a pound and a half of cocaine.

Allen found work after his felony convictions.

Other former felons should be given the same chance. Many won’t. Some former felons are reluctant to apply for jobs, knowing they will have to check that box. Many employers won’t look past that blemish on a potential asset’s past history. Either way, applicants don’t get interviewed, employers don’t learn about important and relevant training and experience, well qualified people won’t get jobs and businesses will struggle to fill vital positions.

The felony question isn’t a valid predictor of future performance and should be illegal. In a handful of states and a few cities across the country, it is. A bill to ban it in Michigan never got a committee hearing.

But an executive order of Gov. Rick Snyder, Michigan last week just became one of about three dozen states that doesn’t ask the question of prospective state employees.

The city of Port Huron will no longer ask its applicants if they’ve been convicted of a felony. Beyond being a good business practice, it is part of City Manager James Freed’s campaign to give the city a reputation as a place welcoming to anyone who wants to work.

City Council can’t extend the ban to include other employers in the city, as Austin, Texas, and other cities have done.

That’s because, in March, Snyder signed Senate Bill 353, which prohibits local governments from enacting ordinances that restrict use of the felony question by private employers. Irony is not a crime.

Former felons deserve a second chance

Jobs for Felons: The Facts about Companies that Hire Ex offenders and Felons (2018)

Former felons deserve a second chance

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Eric Mayo

Felon can't get Around Background Check

Felon can't get Around Background Check

My name is Dennis and I am getting so frustrated and depressed on what I have been going thru for years. I have 2 felony convictions nearly 20 years ago and every time a background check is done it comes up. What they are seeing on paper is not the person I am today. I have a credit score over 726, I own my own home, and I have been living a law abiding life since getting out of prison where I did 2 years- that was back in 1997 when I got out.

I am 48 years old and it is getting very difficult getting past these background checks- no one wants to take a chance with someone with a record and every time I go on an interview I have the embarrassment of explaining what I did and the kind of person I am today- but it just doesn't matter.

My felonies came when I got involved in crack, the demon itself. My first felony came when I was in a cab and lottery scratch off tickets were taken and I got charged with robbery, I received 5 years probation. The second one came because I was still addicted to this evil drug when I took 47.00 out of a back room in a bar, it was my crack head girlfriends parents bar and her mother prosecuted. I received a sentence of 2 to 4 years. This actually saved my life and the transformation began in getting my reputation and life back in order. That crack tore thru my life like a tornado and it was a blessing that I was incarcerated for those 2 years. But try explaining this to a potential employer and the door closes.

I have so much going for me now but keep on falling on hard times when looking for work because of my past, I am not that person anymore, but no one will listen. Any help or any suggestions would be of great assistance. Thank You

Signed,
So lost

Felon can't get Around Background Check

Hello Dennis,

I'm sorry you have not had much success in your job search. Don't give up hope just yet. The fact is, ex-offenders and felons get jobs everyday. Your challenge is to find out which employers will give you an opportunity. Unfortunately this is easier said than done. My first suggestion is to employ the single greatest method of finding job leads... Networking.

Many people got their job leads from people they know. This is called networking. 
Networking is the most effective method of finding employment leads. Most jobs are never advertised because they are usually filled by personal contacts. In fact, employers would rather hire someone referred to them by people they know rather than to painfully sort through resumes and applications. How many people do you know? Each one of them is a potential lead for a job. 

• Friends
• Relatives
• Neighbors
• Parole/probation officers
• Members of your religious group (especially ministers, priests, imams, etc.)
• Former teachers
• Former co- workers
• Former employers
• Classmates
• Casual acquaintances
• People you do business with (Hairstylists, barbers, doctors) 

Look at the list above. In each group, list five people that you can contact. That is at least 55
people that could help you in your job search. Let each person know that you are looking for a job and that any information they have for you would be helpful. Have copies of your resume handy for your contacts to give to other people. Often when ex-offenders and felons are referred for jobs, the question about criminal records doesn't come up. 

You just never know where your next opportunity will come from. Never ask for a job. Only ask for information about job leads or for advice. The more people you are able to contact, the more leads you will get. Remember, this is a numbers game. 

You can also take a look at this list of companies that may give ex-offenders and felons the opportunity to get jobs: Get this updated list of companies that hire ex-offenders and felons


Frequent readers of this blog are familiar with my next suggestion. I encourage every ex-offender and felon looking for a job to visit their local One-stop Career Center. One-stop Career Centers are very underutilized resources that ex-offenders and felons can use not only to get jobs, but to get career counseling and training. In addition, these centers provide a long list of valuable services. Some services available are:
Career planning and counseling

Workshops (Resume Writing, Interviewing Skills, and related topics.)

Computers with internet access and word processing

Daily access to thousands of job listings

Job-related magazines and local newspapers

Job postings and referrals

Printers, fax machines, phones, and copiers for job search use

Each center has trained counselors that provide one-on-one assistance. Many of them have experience assisting ex-offenders and felons looking for jobs.
As stated in a previous post, you can find your nearest center here:
www.servicelocator.org

Jobs for Ex-offenders and Felons: Where can Ex-offenders Find Jobs

Jobs for Ex-offenders and Felons: Ten Steps to Getting a Job with a Criminal Record

Jobs for Felons: The Facts about Companies that Hire Ex offenders and Felons 

Felon can't get Around Background Check

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