Sessions

Seventy million Americans―one in three adults―have some kind of criminal record, and all experience pain in finding a job. In an era of historically low unemployment, recruiting for the 6.6 million unfilled jobs is a challenge. More and more employers, armed with the Society for Human Resource Management's research, are coming to understand that old attitudes toward returning citizens may not apply in today's changing workforce, and much is to be gained by asserting a company's leadership as a fair-chance hirer.

Learning Objectives:

• Learn to separate the myths from the facts regarding applicants with criminal records.
• Understand how to socialize an initiative that fosters a humane, second-chance environment.
• Learn what pursuing a job is like from the point of view of an applicant with a record.
• Learn the appropriate roles in your organization for the formerly incarcerated.
• Determine your organization’s internal criteria ― “what we can accept and what we never can."
• Learn what to expect when an ex-offender joins your workforce.
• Understand how to make decisions that are data-driven.