The “Second Chance Employment: Addressing Concerns About Negligent Hiring Liability” report found that the risk of negligent hiring is far less than many employers believe. It also covers employers’ responsibility to look beyond criminal history and to have an individualized assessment to determine whether the job seeker meets the criteria for talents, experiences, and skills despite their criminal background. “Conviction records alone do not provide employers with the comple

The Homecoming Project was created by Impact Justice , a nonprofit organization in California. The project addresses the challenges that formerly incarcerated people face when they try to find housing after being released. It works by matching a person impacted by the criminal justice system to a homeowner who has a spare bedroom for 6 months. It's a win-win for communities. Formerly incarcerated individuals get back on their feet, when housing is typically a huge challenge.

Donna is thrilled that there are still companies out there who will listen to her story and recognize that she is a valuable person with great qualifications, regardless of her past. Learn more about Donna's experience with Honest Jobs in the video below: Interview Transcript: What experience do you have with the criminal justice system? Donna: “So it's been about 10 years in and out of jail. I have mental illness. The charges are all misdemeanors. I don't have any felonies.”

Recreational cannabis was legalized in Colorado in 2012, and the state continues to be a model of how legalization can generate sizable tax revenue and tens of thousands of jobs. The Color of Cannabis is a Denver-based organization dedicated to supporting minority representation and social equity opportunities in the Cannabis industry. It provides a pathway for restorative economic and criminal justice to communities most negatively impacted by the failed and destructive War

A reentry simulation by the U.S. Department of Justice aims to help participants understand challenges people face after being released from prison and jail. In this NPR story, follow a group of social work students and professors in Alabama who participated in the simulation exercise. It's part of a nationwide effort to increase empathy for returning citizens and the barriers they face. The participants have to complete a checklist of things people coming home from incarcera

Tonie Willis is the Founder and Executive Director of Ardella’s House , a residential facility for formerly incarcerated women. Their goal was to make it feel like home for people coming out of prison and provide ongoing support to decrease recidivism. “You can’t accomplish anything if you don’t have a clean place to live,” says Tonie Willis, who founded the organization in 2010, after helping a formerly incarcerated friend and learning about the lack of reentry resources fo

Desmond Haneef was arrested when he was 19 and got out at the age of 39. Since being released in May 2022, he decided to help people like him reintegrate to society and became the Co-founder & Manager of Peer Programs at RECTIFY Inc. , a trauma-informed peer support reentry organization. The organization is Maryland-based and is led by people who have been in the system themselves, and have first-hand knowledge of the challenges returning citizens face. They offer support and

Many people are generally familiar with the origins of Pride Month, celebrated in June each year. This includes the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in NYC, which police repeatedly raided. The patrons rose up in 1969 against being targeted and mistreated, resulting in what's known as the Stonewall riots. While parades and celebrations of queerness take place across the country this month, anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment, discrimination, and legislation is still prevalent. It's important to lea

Some employers take advantage of people who have a criminal record, knowing that they face barriers to employment elsewhere. David experienced that after coming home from prison. Thankfully, he found Honest Jobs and was hired by Georgia Pacific , a great fair-chance employer. Learn more about David's experience in the video below: Interview Transcript: What was your experience looking for a job before you found Honest Jobs? David: “ I was incarcerated for residential burglar

Jasmin had difficulties finding a job where they prioritized her qualifications and experience, rather than her criminal record. However, she quickly found a job in the Walgreens Pharmacy after she signed up on Honest Jobs. Learn more about Jasmin's experience in the video below: Interview Transcript: What experience do you have with the criminal justice system? Jasmin: "Last October of 2022, I was locked up for 90 days and I had gotten two felony charges and a misdemeanor."

John Legend has seen the challenges of reentering society after incarceration. He's not alone. 113 million American adults have a family member who's been incarcerated. John shares his family’s story in a 30-minute documentary called HOME/FREE, which shows how difficult it is to build a life after incarceration. The documentary tells the story of three individuals who were able to find felony friendly job opportunities after prison, due to programs like Rework Reentry . Not e

Andrew discovered Honest Jobs while he was still incarcerated, using our app on a ViaPath tablet ( press release about that partnership ). That helped him get a jump start on his job search. Once he was released, he came to www.HonestJobs.com and found a company that saw and rewarded his potential. Learn more about Andrew's experience in the video below: What experience do you have with the criminal justice system? Andrew: “ I was incarcerated for approximately 10 months. I

Millions of Americans who have criminal records owe money to the criminal legal system in fines and fees such as for being arrested, administrative court costs, public defender compensation, jail operating expenses, civil assessments, or parole and probation costs. Owing hundreds or thousands of dollars in fines and fees makes successful reentry more difficult. Stephanie Jeffcoat, a community organizer with All of Us or None in Orange County, CA, incurred $4,000 in debt from

Cordel submitted over a 100 applications without success. His criminal background made it nearly impossible to land jobs that he was well-qualified for. Fortunately, he found Honest Jobs, with second chance jobs from over 1,400 fair-chance employers. Learn more about his experience in the video below: What experience do you have with the criminal justice system? Cordel: “I had a misdemeanor, it was petty theft. It was just a couple months ago. I was incarcerated for about two

April Foster is the Executive Director of the Keyway Center for Diversion and Reentry and helps formerly incarcerated women with successful reentry after incarceration. As a social worker, she had experience with men who reentered society, but she learned that what works for men's successful reentry from prison does not necessarily work as well for women. “Shifting my thinking and my approach to accommodate these differences was a game changer. Finally, I was getting through

For people who have done prison time, it can be quite challenging to find employment after being released. Many of them get turned down after running the background check, even though they have the necessary qualifications to do the job. Both the social stigma of having a felony and the gap in employment during incarceration can make it difficult to gain professional experience. However, doing work while incarcerated can build transferrable skills and that are helpful when lo

It can be really hard to find felony friendly jobs, even when your conviction was a long time ago and you've changed a lot as a person. Zane still struggled to find employment, even 14 years after he got a felony. He said that the great experience he had with Honest Jobs changed his outlook on life, and he's excited about his future again. Learn more about his experience in the video below: What experience do you have with the criminal justice system? Zane: “I have a backgrou

There are over 130,000 people in Texas prisons ( August 2019 report ). Prisons are often drab, deliberately devoid of color. A few years ago, colorful objects from outside were further restricted. In 2020, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) further narrowed the types of mail that inmates could receive, to reduce drug-laced papers. Families and friends could now only send mail on plain white copy paper, with no textures or colors allowed. In 2021, due to advocacy

Yoga Behind Bars (YBB, https://www.yogabehindbars.org/) is a Seattle-based nonprofit founded in 2008. YBB "shares trauma-informed yoga and meditation with incarcerated people to promote rehabilitation, personal transformation, and a more just society for all." Trauma-informed movement helps incarcerated individuals tools and practices they can use to process their traumas from before and during incarceration. The practices empower them to reduce and manage stress, develop hea

Marcus had a few DUIs and drug possession charges that were all addiction related. Struggling with addiction can take a toll on people's mental health and can sometimes lead them to make wrong decisions. Currently, he is on probation and working hard to turn his life around. Through Honest Jobs, he was able to search background friendly employers who hire felons - and got a job within within one week! Learn more about his experience in the video below: What was your experienc