Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Follow

Contact

Do you have a returning citizen-friendly workplace?

Keys. February 12, 2018 Category: FeaturedMethodShort
One of the trickiest parts of rejoining the outside world after spending time in the criminal justice system is finding work.

As the Generocity jobs board has grown, we’ve increasingly recognized the bit role that we can play in contributing to a solution. So we’re thrilled to announce that today a new feature: Employers that meet certain criteria can now feature an icon on their job postings to highlight that they offer a returning citizen-friendly workplace.

This launch follows months of reporting and was largely informed by our work with The Reentry Project, a cross-newsroom solutions journalism initiative spearheaded locally by Jean Friedman-Rudovsky. It’s a clear reminder that community journalism isn’t only done with written articles but can also include simple acts.

The icon itself is a key emoji (🔑), employing a generations-old symbol of removing obstacles that we vetted with several returning citizens. Organizations will be able to self-select into posting the icon on their job listing, informed by criteria listed below, and we’ll update it and vet its use after following how the system is initially employed.

Informed by the Fair Chance Hiring Practices outlined by the Obama administration and our own reporting, an organization that self-selects as having a returning citizen-friendly workplace must do the following:

  1. Actively communicate in your job descriptions and to your existing staff a commitment to welcoming employees with criminal records.
  2. “Ban the Box” by delaying criminal history questions until the final stage of the hiring process. (Note that in the City of Philadelphia, it is illegal to require job candidates to disclose criminal history older than seven years.)
  3. Formally train human resources personnel on working with applicants and employees with criminal records.
  4. Offer formal training to staff about working with employees with criminal records.

The Fair Chance Hiring Practices pledge also encourages using a “reliable” background check provider to ensure accuracy and hosting and participating in fair chance opportunity job fairs.

From our Partners

🔑

Project

Generocity

Trending News

A City of Neighborhoods and the Challenge of Affordable Housing ImpactPHL Perspectives
Monday Minute with Katrina Pratt Roebuck Monique Curry-Mims
Healthcare Deserts Part 4: Philanthropic Solutions Marilyn Kai Jewett
Monday Minute with Jean Pierre Brice Monique Curry-Mims

Related Posts

February 1, 2023

A Generocity update, and our 2023 editorial calendar

Read More >
October 29, 2021

Scribe explores oral history in 'Power Politics' series, funds emerging media makers

Read More >
October 28, 2021

6 things we know about you

Read More >