Welcome to the first Second Chance Hiring Alliance (SCHA) newsletter! This newsletter will be used to share second chance hiring resources, updates on the work of the SCHA, opportunities for connecting and collaborating, and highlight SCHA members and partners!

SCHA Hosts its First Webinar

On October 18 and 19, the SCHA hosted its first webinar! During this two-part webinar series, over twenty attendees heard from Alyssa Lovegrove, the Academic Director of the Georgetown Pivot Program and Michael Akin, the President of LINK Strategic Partners. The first part of this two-part webinar series provided attendees with information regarding the benefits of second chance hiring, the legal protections available for employers who hire people with criminal records, and introduced the Second Chance Hiring Alliance, an exciting new initiative aimed at supporting and empowering businesses in implementing second chance hiring practices at their workplace.

During the second part of this two-part webinar series, attendees participated in a conversation with Alyssa Lovegrove and Michael Akin discussing their advice to employers interested in implementing second chance hiring practices, sharing their own experiences as second chance employers, and more!

The SCHA will be hosting its second webinar on December 5 from 2-3 pm. Attendees will hear from Michael Akin, Mikeya Kirksey, the Director of Workforce Development at DC Central Kitchen, and James Carpenter, advocate and returning citizen. RSVP here!

Connecting to Local Businesses

The SCHA has been hard at work reaching out to D.C.-area businesses and employment support providers to get them involved in the Alliance. In the last six months, the SCHA has reached out to nearly 100 businesses and employment support providers! We’ve had countless conversations with businesses about how the SCHA can support them in implementing second chance hiring practices, or expanding existing ones, in their workplace.

Know anyone in your network who may be well suited to get involved in the SCHA? Email Gene Downing so we can connect!

Want to be featured in our Member & Partner Spotlight? Just click here!

Resource Spotlight – Negligent Hiring Report

In July, the Legal Action Center published Second Chance Employment: Addressing Concerns About Negligent Hiring Liability. This report, produced in collaboration with the National Workrights Institute, provides employers with an understanding of the risks of negligent hiring liability. Additionally, the report discusses the circumstances in which employers have been found liable when their employee has a criminal record. The report found that the risk of negligent hiring liability is less than many employers believe and includes steps employers can take to reduce the likelihood of liability.

 

Learning from Experts in the Field

From October 24 through October 27, CCE’s Galena Yorktown Fellow Gene Downing and Senior Policy Manager Casey Anderson attended the National Reentry Workforce Collaborative Conference. As one of the biggest convenings of workforce development organizations, government leaders, and justice-impacted advocates, Gene and Casey were able to learn more about how to effectively engage employers in second chance hiring. Additionally, they learned about best practices in supporting justice-impacted individuals in the workplace, the role foundations and corporations can play in change-making efforts, and more.

Thank You to Our Members & Partners!

With the holiday season quickly approaching, the SCHA extends our deepest gratitude to our members and partners. We appreciate your passion, curiosity, and dedication to the D.C. community!

Coming Soon

  • The SCHA will be hosting its first in-person event in early 2024! This event will be a space where our members can come together and share insights on what’s working in second chance hiring, ask questions they may have, and receive peer-to-peer support and mentorship.
  • The Ambassador Program, a paid part-time opportunity for justice-impacted residents, to get involved in the SCHA! Ambassadors will help conduct outreach to businesses, create SCHA materials, and attend and represent the SCHA at community events. Look for more information in the new year.