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Written By ESR News Blog Editor Thomas Ahearn
On November 10, 2021, the Council of State Governments (CSG) Justice Center launched the Fair Chance Licensing Project in an unprecedented effort to track fair chance licensing practices across all 50 United States to reduce barriers to employment for ex-offenders with criminal records and address the current talent shortage.
As states across America struggle with labor shortages, the Fair Chance Licensing Project provides resources for lawmakers, business leaders, workforce organizations, and community advocates to explore how “fair chance licensing” reforms can help address the current talent shortage. The project also allows ex-offenders to:
- Hear firsthand accounts from people who have been prevented from getting occupational licenses due to their criminal records.
- Hear from one state representative who is advancing fair chance licensing laws in his state.
- View 14 fair chance licensing maps that show the strategies states are adopting to advance fair chance licensing.
Nearly one in four jobs in the U.S. require a government-issued license. Yet many people with criminal records are prohibited from receiving occupational licenses or discouraged from seeking jobs in licensed fields. Barriers to work can have devastating effects on ex-offenders, but fair chance licensing legislation can reduce barriers.
For an overview of fair chance legislative reforms, join the CSG Justice Center for a Justice Briefing Live event titled “Addressing the Nation’s Hiring Crisis: How States are Unlocking Talent through Fair Chance Licensing Reform” from 12:00 noon to 12:45 p.m. Eastern Time on Thursday, November 18, 2021. To register, click here.
Second chance programs and reentry laws that help allow ex-offenders with a prior criminal record to have an opportunity to find work will continue to evolve, according to the “ESR Top Ten Background Check Trends” for 2021 compiled by leading global background check firm Employment Screening Resources® (ESR).
Employment Screening Resources® (ESR) – which was named the #1 screening firm by HRO Today in 2020 – offers a white paper on “Ten Critical Steps for Ex-Offenders to Get Back into the Workforce” to help them get the career they want instead of a job they need. To learn more about ESR, visit www.esrcheck.com.
NOTE: Employment Screening Resources® (ESR) does not provide or offer legal services or legal advice of any kind or nature. Any information on this website is for educational purposes only.
© 2021 Employment Screening Resources® (ESR) – Making copies of or using any part of the ESR News Blog or ESR website for any purpose other than your own personal use is prohibited unless written authorization is first obtained from ESR.
