Second Chance Employers and Background Checks

Over 70 million Americans have been arrested for a felony offense. This means that unless you’re giving applicants with a criminal history a fair chance, you may be disbarring a large percentage of available talent.

And yet, if you’re a second chance employer, it opens up many questions. Should you consider anyone as a candidate, regardless of their criminal history? What are the limits? Can you still require a background check, and if so, what should you look for?

Here is everything you need to know about background checks for second chance employers.

A Brief History

According to a federal court ruling in 1975, employers can no longer automatically exclude applicants from job consideration based on their criminal history. Since that time, “Ban the Box” laws have come into play, making it illegal in some states to even ask the question about criminal history on an initial job application. With incarceration rates rising exponentially since that time, many employers now need to face the reality that applicants with a criminal record must be considered and in some cases, hired. Understandably, this can all be very confusing for employers. In some cases, employers exercise too much caution, resulting in the needless exclusion of some promising candidates. In other cases, they may go to the other extreme, and show too little caution in the evaluation of candidates’ criminal histories.

Benefits of Second Chance Hiring

Second chance hiring, when implemented thoughtfully, brings many benefits to employers. For one thing, it can dramatically widen your talent pool. This is no small perk in today’s shrinking labor market in which you often find yourself with very little options from which to choose.

According to statistics, we also know that second chance employers enjoy a more loyal workforce with higher rates of retention.

Second chance employers also get the assurance that they are in compliance with the many “Ban the Box” laws which are popping up in cities throughout the U.S. The laws around fair hiring practices are changing all the time, and it’s smart to be on the cutting edge instead of playing catch-up.

How To Implement Second Chance Hiring Effectively

Second chance hiring means that employers must exercise a degree of care and caution to minimize any liabilities associated with hiring applicants with a criminal history.

It’s wise to come up with a policy beforehand about what types of past criminal offenses will be grounds for exclusion from consideration, and why. Take into account the recency of these offenses, as well as any evidence of rehabilitation since they occurred. Also you should consider how these offenses may or may not be relevant to the job. Does the position require handling funds? Does it involve transporting clients or equipment in a company vehicle? Consider the requirements for the job and ask yourself what kinds of criminal records are deal breakers.

Most importantly, reach out to Veriswift to find out how we can help you fairly evaluate applicants with criminal records.

With appropriate care and diligence, you can give a valuable candidate a second chance, and enjoy the rewards of their untapped potential.