New Hope for Felons Looking for Jobs
A criminal record was once a social death sentence leaving ex-felons with little hope of improving their lives. Without gainful employment many will return to criminal activities and eventually more legal trouble making it even harder than before.
Currently 33 states have “Fair Chance Initiatives” and “Ban the Box” laws that intend to give ex-offenders and felons more of an opportunity to get hired
“Ban the Box” means that the employer may not ask about criminal backgrounds on employment applications. The employer can only ask about criminal convictions when the applicant is seriously being considered for hire. The thought behind this to let the employer meet the applicant and consider his/her qualifications rather than the fact that the applicant has a record.
Ex-offenders and felons have not only been left out of consideration for employment, they have also been denied opportunities for education and training. There is a growing number of employers as well colleges and universities who feel that educational and employment opportunities available to ex-offenders and felons is beneficial to our society. These employers and colleges have signed what is known as the “Fair Chance Pledge.”
In 2015, President Barack Obama initiated the “Fair Chance Pledge.”
“Around 70 million Americans have some sort of criminal record … Now, a lot of time, that record disqualifies you from being a full participant in our society — even if you’ve already paid your debt to society. It means millions of Americans have difficulty even getting their foot in the door to try to get a job much less actually hang on to that job. That’s bad for not only those individuals, it’s bad for our economy. It’s bad for the communities that desperately need more role models who are gainfully employed. So we’ve got to make sure Americans who’ve paid their debt to society can earn their second chance.”
The White House is building on past efforts by challenging businesses to take on the “Fair Chance Business Pledge,” a nationwide call-to-action to accomplish the shared goal of creating a stronger set of opportunities for people who have been impacted by the criminal justice system.
- President Obama, November 2, 2015
The Fair Chance Business Pledge
The Fair Chance Education Pledge
You can learn more about both Fair Chance pledges here: Jobs for Felons: Companies Pledge Second Chance Opportunities
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