A Fair Shot at a Fresh Start

A job changes everything.  

For an individual, it can bring financial independence, a sense of dignity, and a strong connection to society. For society, high employment reduces the strain on government resources, increases productivity and consumer spending, and yields more tax revenue for our nation.

 Despite these clear benefits, all too often societal biases prevent a segment of our population - formerly incarcerated people - from getting jobs.

 People who have served time in prison, and in many instances for non-violent crimes, face tremendous hurdles securing employment when they return to their communities. Though their prison term ends, the stigma of their incarceration persists. 

 Some employers refuse to hire anyone with a criminal record, even if the offense is minor and the individual is otherwise qualified. This leaves people who have served time and lawfully re-entered society unable to get work and support their families, despite their abilities and talents. 

 Discriminatory hiring practices not only prevent formerly incarcerated people from getting back on their feet, but they harm society. The resulting unemployment destabilizes families, weakens communities, leaves talent untapped, and increases recidivism as formerly incarcerated people are faced with the choice of poverty or feeding their families by resorting back to criminal activity.  

 That’s why Verizon supports the bipartisan “Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act of 2019,” which prohibits federal agencies and contractors from asking about a job applicant’s criminal history prior to making a conditional offer of employment. After a conditional offer is made, the employer may inquire into the applicant's criminal history. The job offer is conditioned on the results of that inquiry. 

 The purpose of the bill is to ensure that federal employers consider a job candidate’s qualifications first, without potentially being influenced by the stigma of an applicant's prior incarceration, which often leads to automatic rejection.   

 Today, the U.S. incarcerates a staggering 2.2 million people, which is more than any other country in the world, and most of those are incarcerated for non-violent offenses. There are millions more ex-offenders who struggle to find work long after they have been released from custody. 

 Policymakers around the country have recognized that the stigma of incarceration can become a life sentence of destitution, preventing ex-offenders from ever getting jobs. To give formerly incarcerated people an opportunity to find work, 35 states, D.C. and 150 cities and counties have adopted so called "ban the box" laws, which generally prevent employers from asking applicants about prior incarceration until after they have extended a conditional offer. Once the employer makes the job offer, they are free to inquire about criminal history or run background checks. These laws are intended to ensure that applicants are first judged on their skills rather than rejected outright based on prior offenses for which they've served their time. 

Verizon already follows fair-chance hiring policies, even in states that have not adopted "ban the box" laws. We can't afford to miss out on good talent, and we want to give all job applicants fair consideration. We believe all employers should evaluate a candidate based on his or her merits in the first instance, rather than reflexively rejecting them based on prior conduct and punishment.  

We urge Congress to adopt the Fair Chance Act. Doing so will help remove undue bias from the hiring process of formerly incarcerated people, open the talent pool for employers and give those who have paid their debt to society a real chance at gainful employment. 

Moreover, fair chance policies benefit not only people with criminal records, but they restore families, revive communities, and boost employers and the economy. A win all around.

Congress should build on the good work it started last year with the First Step Act by passing the Fair Chance Act. It offers a fair shot at a fresh start. Let's give formerly incarcerated people the opportunity to compete fairly for jobs and become productive members of society. For all our sakes.