WHAT IS A SECOND CHANCE EMPLOYER?
Nearly 80 million people walking around the USA possess a criminal record. With a job market that can be super competitive as-is, this will obviously create significant challenges and hardships for the person who has been in contact with the criminal justice system.
Many employers are unwilling, uncooperative, and unable to hire people with felony conviction records (also known as convicted felons) due to society’s archaic prejudices and beliefs. Many companies even require applicants to show they have a “clean background” in order to proceed in hiring the would-be candidate.
More and more, there are certain “Second Chance” companies that have stepped forward and adopted a policy that is “felon-friendly“, yet interestingly enough also taps into a massive source of talent that many businesses can benefit from.
WHAT IS A SECOND CHANCE EMPLOYER?
Simply put, a Second Chance Employer is an employer or business that is considerate of any applicant with a criminal background.
Whereas before an applicant would automatically be rejected and not considered for a position solely based off their criminal history, Second Chance Hiring provides the individual an opportunity as the employer looks at qualifications for the position, in addition to whatever may come up on a background check.
DOES A SECOND-CHANCE EMPLOYER RUN A BACKGROUND CHECK?
Oftentimes, the results of a background check deny the candidate a chance to move forward in the application process and earn a living doing work they are well qualified to do.
A Second Chance Employer is similar to any other employer as they will generally perform a background check on the candidate somewhere in the application process. Where a Second Chance Employer differentiates themselves in this process is that they are tolerant of the results of that background check when completed.
Many companies are uncertain about the practical and legal issues surrounding hiring those with criminal histories and it is understandable, however, smart employers design systems to recruit, engage, and retain the best talent available without unnecessarily eliminating potential candidates.
WHAT DO SECOND-CHANCE EMPLOYERS MEAN FOR CONVICTED FELONS?
It is proven that the single most influential factor in order to avoid violation and ending up (back) incarcerated is meaningful employment.
When an individual is denied the chance to move forward in the application process and earn a living doing work they are well qualified to do as a result of their background, it is a lose-lose situation for all. Employers miss out on skilled workers, returning citizens face joblessness and higher chances of recidivism, and families and communities experience lower economic opportunity and stability.
People with criminal records need jobs for the same reasons anyone else would; to support their families and themselves, lead a productive life, and make a lasting contribution to the world.
You may also want to check out: Does Being Unemployed Violate My Probation?
The plight of the individual overcoming a felony conviction, they are oftentimes desperate to prove themselves and are eager to have a chance at a normal life, attained by good, consistent hard work – and all the benefits derived from that, financial and otherwise.
Granted, there are certain jobs and occupations where someone convicted of a felony will simply not be hired due to imposed restrictions, however, there are other jobs and lines of work where the individual is eligible to be employed, yet the employer still does not welcome the applicant.
Why is that? Perhaps fear above all else.
A lack of information or understanding about employing people with criminal backgrounds can make businesses hesitant to explore this option, and Second Chance/ Felon-Friendly Employers are there to change that perception, with more and more companies and businesses getting on board with second-chance hiring practices.
WHAT IS A SECOND CHANCE EMPLOYER HIRING POLICY?
Second-chance hiring encourages an employer to consider and be tolerant of applicants with a criminal background and find the solutions to make them employable. The hiring policy tends to focus on the candidate’s overall qualifications for the position rather than directly rejecting them due to their criminal record.
For employers, the research has shown that employees hired despite their past conviction(s) are engaged, loyal, and profitable. It was also found that over 80% of business leaders say that individuals with criminal records perform the same as or better than employees without criminal records. Additionally, research shows that second-chance hires have lower turnover rates, which saves companies money.
Second Chance Hiring is truly a win-win, as by giving the individual opportunities, it can help lower rates of recidivism and unemployment simultaneously.
ARE YOU GUARANTEED THE JOB WITH A SECOND CHANCE EMPLOYER?
Contrary to popular belief, no, you are not guaranteed employment with a company, just because they are a “second chance employer”, as the applicant must still meet all the necessary qualifications and be considered a good hire in respect to the position being offered.
And much like how life itself works, there are no guarantees as to how or what is the outcome to any situation – good or bad. To elaborate even further, when one is a convicted felon, they must understand that they are at a supreme disadvantage, and for that, they must overcompensate.
They must be better. They must raise their standards. They must demand more from themselves, and focus all their efforts, in the name of putting themselves in a position to just have an opportunity to succeed since there are some many barriers and challenges attached with a felony conviction.
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Not an easy task, but with more and more employers getting on board by becoming felon-friendly and offering a second chance, little by little, the stigma and dread of companies not wanting to hire convicted felons become a thing of the past.
Once again, there is a massive pool of untapped talent that small businesses can benefit from using second-chance hiring, and is a win-win for employers and employees — and for society at large.
-The Educated Felon
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