Government Programs That Help Convicted Felons Get Jobs

There are several organizations and government programs that help convicted felons get jobs in the United States, and we’re here to make the list for you. We understand that committing a felony can disrupt your social life. It’s often that the punishment exceeds the imprisonment time. The stigma of being a felon can make it hard for these people to start a new life. What’s more, you have to deal with additional parole for some time after the release.

Getting a job is certainly one of the hardest challenges for convicted felons.  As you know, almost every employer in the United States requires the applicants to list convictions, and that makes your bargaining position lower than other common applicants. Most employers don’t want to take the risk of hiring an ex-felon because of their track record. The problem is that this condition often pushes the felons to go back to what he or she did for a living, which is committing a crime.

government-programs-that-help-convicted-felons-get-jobs

Below are some of the government programs that help convicted felons get jobs:

Federal Bonding Program

This is a federal program coming from the US Department of Labor that can help increase the chance of employment for convicted felons. It’s basically a program that covers bond for felons and other at-risk population for about six months. Since the Federal Bonding Program has covered the bond, employers can finally hire these people.

Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC)

The WOTC is another government program administered by the US Department of Labor. This program supports felons by encouraging employers to hire the convicted felons. As the award, the employers will get a tax credit up to $2,400. Felons who are released from prison within the past year are one of the program’s aims. The program is not specifically made for ex-felons, but at least it covers the area.

State and Local Programs

Now other than the Federal government programs, there are also other programs coming from your state and local government. Most states government in the United States has some sort of reintegration program that can help the ex-felons to blend in the society. One of the aspects covered in the program is employment assistance. For example, there’s the Reentry Council in the San Fransisco, Jail to Jobs in North California, etc.

You can also search for help from non-government programs and organizations. Below are some of the good examples of reliable organizations that support the employment of ex-felons:

Cooperative of Felon Friendly Employers

Abbreviated as the CoFFE! this organization is sponsored by the National Career Development Association. You can use their website to search for felon friendly employers. They have an excellent database of this kind of employers throughout the United States. We highly recommended that you visit their website and use their database.

We also recommend you to contact the Office of Transition Services or the Department of Public Safety’s Office of Research and Planning in your state area to find more information about the possible employers near your area.

I hope you get good information about the government programs that help convicted felons get jobs!

References:

  • Work Opportunity Tax Credit – http://www.doleta.gov/business/incentives/opptax/
  • Image: pix11.com

One Response

  1. Ronnie Elizondo June 12, 2018

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