April is National Second Chance Month!
By Latrice Lewis
Don’t miss out on great candidates. Expand your talent pool!
"I’m ever so grateful for the opportunity to get a second chance at life."
— FCWS Customer, Lonnie T.
Many of us have had an opportunity to experience the benefit of a good family life, an education, and a successful career, with no concept of any other way. Some, however, must be given a “Second Chance” to experience those blessings.
Did you know April is “Second Chance Month?” When planning your recruitment strategy or next hiring event, considering a justice-involved talent pool could prove to be a good decision.
Many employers express they are looking for employees who have great work ethic, are hardworking, team players and problem solvers, who can be trained in the technical skills. Here are some reasons that justice-involved candidates would be worth considering:
85% of HR Leaders and 81% of business leaders say that second chance hires perform the same or better than other employees.
"Second chance” hires can help industries suffering from labor shortages.
Unemployment rate of the formerly incarcerated is 60+% vs. 15% for the general public during peak unemployment times, this emphasizes a large group of skilled workers available and willing to work.
High quality, stable jobs directly decreased instances of recidivism, thereby improving community safety.
Great benefits, right! To consider this talent pool for hiring, here are some local, regional, and/or national resources to utilize for anything from finding candidates to best practices:
Resilient Frederick County (RFC) is a workforce development program that provides one-on-one services for individuals impacted by substance use disorder to grow their workplace skills and reduce barriers to employment.
Justice Jobs of MD: Our mission is to help jobseekers experiencing barriers to employment to get jobs, keep jobs, and move up to better jobs.
Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC): Tax Incentive for hiring employer(s)
Myth vs. Fact: Sound Familiar?
Myth: My organization has a fair hiring practice.
Fact: Although employers’ express willingness to hire people with criminal records, evidence shows that having a record reduces employer callback rates by 50%.
Myth: People with criminal records are less reliable and will contribute to increased turnover.
Fact: In two recent studies, human resources managers found that annual turnover was on average 12.2 percent lower for employees with criminal records and by adopting a program to recruit employees with criminal histories it reduced turnover from 25 percent to 11 percent.
Myth: Hiring people with criminal records will increase my expenses.
Fact: Recent research has found that employees with records remain on the job at higher rates than those without criminal histories which lowers recruitment costs.
Keeping this information in mind may help you expand your future candidate pool to a talented group of individuals eager to work.