The new business coalition is committing to using SHRM’s guidelines for recruiting and hiring workers with criminal backgrounds. Taylor said it includes best practices for identifying candidates even before they are released from prison and having open discussions about the past.
“You don’t have to lie. You can tell these people your true status,” Taylor said, speaking about potential employees. “Just that alone would make that person more likely to apply than not, because they’re not worried about being rejected.”
The move also comes as businesses struggle to fill open jobs amid a shortage of workers. According to government data, there are nearly 6.9 million open positions, but only 6.3 million people who are unemployed. That means even if everyone were hired, business would still come up short.
Taylor said companies have to get more creative — and that includes taking another look at qualified candidates who may have criminal pasts. Koch characterized it as a common-sense but critical next step.
“If all of us got fully engaged, think of the difference we could make to create second chances, reduce crime and poverty, and improve the quality of life for so many people,” Koch said in a statement.
from Update News Zone http://bit.ly/2G42GsZ
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