THE IMPORTANCE OF STABLE EMPLOYMENT:
Finding and keeping stable employment is one of the greatest challenges for job hunters with a criminal background. The inability to become financially secure is one of the biggest barriers to successful reentry. There are many agencies, both governmental and non-governmental, that are working hard to address this difficult collateral consequence of incarceration, but the road to employment intersects many roadblocks.
WHAT ARE COLLATERAL CONSEQUENCES OF INCARCERATION?
Much of the literature surrounding reentry discusses the “collateral consequences” of incarceration.
Collateral consequences are the many legal and regulatory restrictions that either limit or prevent people with criminal records from accessing housing, employment, occupational licensing, voting, education, and other opportunities. Collateral consequences are not just about incarceration, though, an arrest record can create these barriers.
In this section, we will look closely at the issues that create barriers to employment – both on the part of the individual job-hunter and the myriad of policies and laws surrounding employability. And we will look at the protections in place when applying for jobs.
We’ll look at:
- Self-knowledge and self-confidence
- Identification and Transportation
- Laws and regulations regarding licensing
- Ban the Box
- Applications
- Interviews