LATEST NEWS

We are pleased to announce that the NRWC Employer Engagement Specialist Certification program has launched! Recognizing the shifting landscape affecting reentry workforce programs and opportunities for justice-impacted job seekers, this certification focuses on best practices to help professionals in one area where they can have consistent impact—how they engage with employers. It also includes four […]

If you’ve been feeling the ground shift under your program recently, you’re not alone. The labor market is in persistent flux, which means what you’re experiencing probably doesn’t even look the same as it did last quarter. For reentry workforce professionals, this volatility means a change in thinking about what the recruitment-to-hire process looks like. […]

At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, experts asserted that change is the new normal. While some people embraced the idea of persistent novelty, others wished for things to “go back” to how they were.  There’s an old saying: “The more things change, the more they stay the same.” Does this idea still hold up […]

As the U.S. celebrates its 250th anniversary this month, much of the national conversation has focused on the nation’s past, present, and future. Throughout our history, progress has often come from people who saw problems as opportunities to innovate. That pioneering spirit is woven into the fabric of our country. America has long been a […]

In today’s dynamic labor market, being future-focused is an essential part of the equation for economic security. The national unemployment rate in March was 4.3%. More than a quarter of those job seekers are long-term unemployed (defined by the Bureau of Labor Statistics as individuals who have been jobless and actively seeking work for 27 […]

By now you’ve probably received several reminders that April is Second Chance Month. It’s important to acknowledge not just the need for employment pathways for justice-impacted individuals, but the needs of the ecosystem that creates and supports those pathways. Over the past twelve months, the reentry workforce field has experienced significant shifts. Changes at the […]

During a recent webinar in the NRWC Thought Leadership Series, economist Jeffrey Korzenik described how economies grow in one of two ways: by expanding the labor force or by increasing productivity. The reentry workforce field has been focused, rightly, on labor force participation. Removing barriers, and opening doors to employment for justice-impacted job seekers has […]

By Teresa Miller How Reentry Providers Can Respond to New Medicaid Rules The implementation of work reporting requirements is among the changes coming to Medicaid following last year’s passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Access to health care is a lifeline for formerly incarcerated individuals, who, when compared to the general population, experience […]

Over the past three decades, background checks have shifted from a niche practice to a near-universal part of hiring. Today, nearly 9 out of 10 employers report using them. While this trend was fueled by technology, policy, and employer liability concerns, it has also created new barriers for justice-involved job seekers. The growth of digital […]

Essential Skills for Justice-Impacted Job Seekers When we talk about preparing justice-impacted job seekers for meaningful employment, the conversation often jumps to “hard skills” — those gained through technical training, leading to certifications and credentials. While these are critical, they’re only part of the equation. Too often overlooked are the competencies referred to as “soft […]