More Employers Taking a Closer Look at Candidates with Criminal Histories

About one-third of U.S. citizens have a criminal record. Employers that exclude these individuals from their pool of potential job candidates may be making it more difficult to fill positions and potentially missing an opportunity to work with talented individuals.

Second-chance hiring practices—also known as fair-chance hiring—were discussed during a session called “Bold, Brave and Transformed: The Journey from Incarceration to Employment” at the SHRM Talent Conference & Expo 2024 on April 15 in Las Vegas. The session was led by moderator Elisabeth Voigt, senior manager of environmental, social, and governance programs and partnerships at Indeed.

She was joined by Genevieve Rimer, senior director of inclusive hiring at the Center for Employment Opportunities, and Vincent Bragg, founder and CEO of ConCreates Inc., both of whom were previously incarcerated. Amelia Nickerson, CEO of First Step Staffing, also participated. Her group has helped thousands of people with criminal histories gain employment nationwide.

Second-chance hiring practices have been gaining traction throughout the U.S. to give people who were previously incarcerated an opportunity to secure a job.

According to Indeed, 37 states; Washington, D.C.; and over 150 counties and cities have adopted a second-chance hiring policy for public sector employment. Furthermore, 15 of those states along with 22 counties and cities have extended their policy to private employment. In recent years, support for second-chance hiring practices has increased in popularity not only at the state and local levels but also federally.

Second-Chance Hiring Contributes to Business Success

Rimer said that after her incarceration, she felt embarrassed of her history.

“I thought I wore a scarlet F on my sleeve for failure, but I’ve taken all of that, transformed it … and so now I sit before you bravely, and I’m able to talk about my past,” she said. “I’m really proud of who I am today, and a part of that is because of who I used to be. We’re working for much more than a paycheck; we’re working to create a whole new identity.”

Bragg said that previously incarcerated people have different “lived experiences,” which can help companies achieve inclusion, equity and diversity goals.

“These people not only want to work the hardest, but they also want to do the best,” he said.

Nickerson said data shows the success rates of employers who hire applicants who were previously incarcerated.

“Our retention rates [show] that the employees stay longer … than any every group except the veterans,” Nickerson said. “They’re hungry employees; you want them in your warehouse and you want them on your manufacturing lines, because they’re going to show up on time and get the job done.

Nickerson’s firm works with HR professionals to help them craft second-chance hiring policies and meets with front-line hiring managers to coach them through interviewing and hiring the candidates.

Nickerson said: “As employers, you need to take an individualized, skills-based approach.”

Paul Bergeron is a freelance writer based in Virginia.