Over the past couple of months I have published stories and research regarding the issue if Ex-offenders deserve a second chance at employment. The original story and research can be read by clicking this link here https://iasmith1.wixsite.com/isaac-smith-tv/master-s-captone.
As we look at the follow up process of this issue we can first implicate that there are still some areas the needs to be address. As far as what kind of policies are in place and what is the government stance on this issue. According to Society for Human Resource Management "Congressional members from both sides of the aisle have introduced second-chance hiring bills to support second-chance employment. Trone; Rep. John Rutherford, R-Fla.; Rep. Kelly Armstrong, R-N.D.; and Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester, D-Del., formed the task force with the "goal of introducing more second-chance legislation in Congress and partnering with the private sector to bring attention to this growing problem".
The task force has introduced bills including:
The Fresh Start Act, which would streamline the sealing of eligible arrest records for returning citizens who have not committed a felony or additional crimes.
The Workforce Justice Act, which encourages states to "ban the box," or not request applicants' criminal history, on job applications nationwide.
The Due Process Continuity of Care Act, which amends the Medicaid Inmate Exclusion Policy to allow coverage for all pretrial detainees.
Unfortunately, not enough businesses know about the benefits of hiring returning ex-offenders. If we take a look back at the interview I did with Tonya Arrasmith, who has currently been in the HR field for more than 30 + years working with individuals who want and deserve a second chance. In the conversation, she spoke about how some of the greatest employers she has had has come from people who are looking for a second chance.
If we dive deeper into some more business who have spoke out this issue we can see that people are pushing the effort towards a better cause. Lewis Maltby, president and CEO of National Workrights Institute stated in a press release "Conviction records alone do not provide employers with the complete picture of what someone can offer a company". Also "The urgency of altering hiring practices and eliminating the stigma associated with a conviction record in the process grows every day as mass incarceration persists and the national labor shortage continues to strain our economy".
Hans Vestberg, chairman and CEO of Verizon, told SHRM "All our data tells us that many of these employees are extremely loyal, thankful for the company giving them a second chance, and do great work, You want [workers who are] loyal, lead your brand every day [and] lead your core values every day".
Infographic provided by SHRM
This issue is one of many greatest challenges that we are dealing with society. We know that employers want to hire the most qualified candidates, keep their employees and customers safe, prevent unlawful behavior in their business, and preserve the company’s reputation and brand image. However, hiring someone with a conviction record for a job does not necessarily mean that the employer is at risk it means that they are taking a chance to better the economy.
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