CHJT Fair Chance Hiring
Fair chance hiring is a key priority of CHJT’s economic justice work. We are engaging a variety of stakeholders in Rhode Island to develop a statewide goal and media campaign to encourage local employers to engage in fair chance hiring practices. We are also developing public mechanisms to share information about fair chance hiring resources, as well as the reentry employment programs and services available in RI.
What is Fair Chance Hiring (FCH)?
The National Reentry Workforce Collaborative defines fair chance hiring (also known as second chance hiring) as an approach where companies change policies and make accommodations to hire individuals with a criminal record. Companies that succeed in FCH have established good systems of support to help individuals with criminal records navigate some of the collateral consequences of justice involvement.
We take an interagency and inter-sector approach to our fair chance hiring work. The following sectors are currently engaged in the conversation around fair chance hiring in RI:
- Labor
- Corrections
- Commerce
- Behavioral health
- Education
- Business
- Employers
- National partners
Our goal is to engage all stakeholders as long-term champions of FCH practices, with an eye toward planning for the sustainability of FCH efforts in RI.
Resources: Fair Chance Hiring in RI
Fair Chance Hiring in Practice
RI Employees: Know Your Rights – Substance Use Disorder (SUD)
RI Employers: Know the Law – Substance Use Disorders (SUD) & Discrimination
Fair Chance Hiring Toolkits
Get Started: Second Chance Business Coalition
The Second Chance Business Coalition (SCBC) is a national coalition of large private-sector firms committed to fair chance hiring. Check out their extensive toolkits and case studies.
Getting Talent Back To Work | The Society for Human Resource Management
The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) has created comprehensive checklists for human resource personnel to evaluate hiring compliance with Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) and EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission) policies.
Second Chance Employment: Addressing Concerns About Negligent Hiring Liability
Worried about negligent hiring liability? This report demonstrates the low liability risk for hiring employees with criminal records, along with five steps to protect your company from negligent hiring.
A Healthcare Employer Guide to Hiring People with Arrest and Conviction Records
This is a comprehensive toolkit for fair chance hiring in healthcare.
Best Practice Standards: The Proper Use of Criminal Records in Hiring
Looking for a more expanded, step-by-step guide to fair chance hiring? Here is a comprehensive guide of national best practices and standards from the Legal Action Center (LAC).
Criminal Records | U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
This US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) webpage offers advice for small businesses navigating federal employment discrimination laws.
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