How are you integrating equity into your work with the reentry workforce?
At the Center for Employment Opportunities, we are piloting access to paid advanced credentialed training in commercial driver’s licenses and information technology support & leadership development for recently released talent. By providing increased access to low-barrier credentials and leadership development training people leaving incarceration can access thriving-wage jobs with benefits in months.
On the demand side, our Inclusive Hiring work is supporting companies and industry associations that want to adopt Fair Chance Hiring best practices. This effort supports employers to create more inclusive and equitable career pathways for talent with past convictions. Most importantly, I work with amazing colleagues who are justice-impacted and are co-creating and leading this work with me.
What do you believe needs to change to help people with records gain equity in society?
Two things. First, we need to combat the bias and stigma associated with talent who have a past conviction among employers. There is growing research demonstrating that employees who are justice-impacted are just as good and often better than the average worker in terms of their work ethic, retention, or potential occupational risks. Employers need to make their talent life cycle more inclusive of this talent pool.
Second, to support employers and workers with past convictions in succeeding now and in the future, we need to end the “civil-death” and perpetual punishment reflected in the over 40,0000 collateral consequences that people who have done their time and paid their “debt to society” face. Many justice-impacted leaders are working hard to shift policies and laws to end collateral consequences. These efforts need more support and engagement from philanthropy and business leaders.
