Tom's Notes:

We’ve all needed a second chance at one point or another. But for formerly incarcerated people, second chances are a rare thing. They’re often screened out of early recruitment rounds if they identify themselves as having a criminal record.

Here’s what you need to know about the value of second chances:

• Data shows that people with criminal records make more loyal employees; on the whole, the attrition rate of ex-offenders is lower than average
• People with a criminal record aren’t just less likely to quit—they’re more likely to get promoted and less likely to engage in workplace misconduct.

That group includes Ken Oliver, now the Executive Director of Checkr.org. Today, Ken is dedicated to the mission of fair chance hiring, or securing equal opportunity for workers with a criminal record. It’s an uphill battle; in the United States alone, there are 48,000 laws that make it difficult for people to secure meaningful employment after a conviction.

As the Executive Director of Checkr.org, a foundation focused on normalizing fair chance hiring in corporate America, Ken is fighting to make sure those people don’t become second-class citizens.

How can businesses learn and do something about it? First, there needs to be an internal conversation about second chances: Do we believe that people who may have committed a crime deserve the chance to rebuild their lives? And if we believe that, how can we ensure it happens within our business?

Listen now to learn more about fair chance hiring!