The Second Chance Hiring Alliance realizes the difficulties justice impacted people face finding and maintaining employment. We seek to educate employers on these difficulties, while also discussing the unique skills and talents justice impacted people may have gained during their incarceration, such as completing trade skill programs, receiving professional certifications, and participating in pre-release job readiness programs.

If you’re a job seeker, we have provided resources below. You can also review open positions from our members and workforce development opportunities provided by our partners.

This training from the Legal Action Center discusses how to prepare to apply for a license when you have a conviction record, what to expect at a potential licensing hearing, as well as what steps to take after a hearing and what options exist to appeal decisions. 

This training from the Legal Action Center walks through some of the steps individuals with conviction records can take before applying to jobs in order to improve their chances of finding employment. 

Career One Stop is a job search site to help justice impacted find employment. On this site, justice impacted job seekers will find local resources, second chance hiring employers, and how to communicate with employees about having a conviction.

In 2014, the District of Columbia Council enacted the Fair Criminal Record Screening Amendment Act of 2014 (FCRSA, the Act), which went into effect on December 17, 2014. This law is popularly known as “Ban the Box” and generally, it prohibits employers in the District from inquiring about job applicants’ arrest record, charges, or convictions prior to a conditional offer of employment. Learn more.

The Library of Congress published the Reentry and Employment Resources for Justice-Involved Individuals. This guide provides a wide variety of online and print resources for justice-involved individuals who are incarcerated, or were formerly incarcerated, with starting points that will assist them with their reentry into society.

Swift Hires is a job search site that lists countless job positions specifically for justice-involved job seekers. This site will find second chance hiring employers locally and in any field one is seeking employment.

This article from the Federal Trade Commission “Employer Background Checks and Know Your Rights” provides info for justice-Involved job seekers. This article includes: What Employers Can Ask About Your Background, Background Reporting Companies, Denial Due to Discrimination, and more important information.