Ex-Offenders Re-Entering the Workforce

7791 Words32 Pages
Abstract Ex-offenders face hurdles when trying to find employment after their incarceration or even a felony conviction. Barriers facing ex-offenders in gaining employment can be prejudiced against ex-offenders when trying to further their education, hard and soft skills that ex-offenders may lack when trying to find employment, and the attitudes that affect how employers decide who they will employ. Employers have to look at a person’s past to decide if they are willing to take a chance on that person’s future. Ex-offenders’ willingness to find opportunities for employment is explored as well as the role of background checks and the implications they have for the hiring process. Employers have many concerns when deciding whether to hire ex-offenders, such as their responsibility to protect the company and its employees. Federal and state laws regulating employment are reviewed, particularly in the states of Virginia and Florida. Programs exist to provide ex-offenders with training and skills to enable them to find employment. The paper concludes with recommendations about where ex-offenders can find employment opportunities. Ex-Offenders Re-entering the Work Force Introduction Should organizations be able to deny or terminate ex-offenders from a position? Should one be judged for past mistakes? Most ex-offenders regret the mistakes made in the past, but unless programs or policies are put in place by human resource organizations, many of ex-offenders’ futures are limited. When a person is sent to prison, society expects that person to be rehabilitated when he or she is re-integrated back in to society. While incarcerated, many ex-offenders have received some higher education. It could be obtaining their G.E.D. or a college degree of some sort. Ex-offenders should be provided the same employment opportunities as other citizens.

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