The Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM), in partnership with Koch Industries, has launched a new initiative Getting Talent Back to Work to promote fair chance hiring practices that expand opportunities for job seekers with criminal records. The initiative responds to the newly-passed First Step Act, reforming the federal-level justice system to ease future sentencing for nonviolent offenders and enable qualified inmates to earn early release.

As a practical resource to help companies tap into this applicant pool, SHRM developed the Getting Talent Back to Work Toolkit, which provides information about best practices and legal compliance. The toolkit offers guidance on making reliable background checks, assessing an applicant’s record, and analyzing risk.

Indeed, criminal background checks can act as a barrier to employment of candidates with records, and are problematic as a screening tool that’s often difficult to understand, inaccurate and incomplete. At our annual conference last June, Ian Harriman and Rehana Lerandeau from Checkr presented on the background check process and highlighted best practices to help alternative staffing businesses better advise employer customers about interpreting and using these reports. We invite you to download their PowerPoint for more information.

For links to data supporting the business case for hiring people with criminal records, please visit our 2016 post More evidence that ex-offender hires excel on the job.

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