What Is Second Chance Employment?

According to SHRM, second chance employment is the act of employing formerly incarcerated individuals, people in recovery, or other applicants whose life choices and situations have disadvantaged them in obtaining stable employment.

That definition is a good one, but second chance employment is also about providing fair opportunity to those who have paid their debt to society for crimes committed. All too often, after a person has served jail time, performed community service, or made restitution as directed by the justice system, they are then subject to an additional “financial sentence” levied on them by employers who refuse to hire due to criminal background.

Second chance employment is an opportunity for employers to work with a talented pool of overlooked and untapped individuals. It is not charity, and it is not a handout. It is an exchange of value: the employee brings their positive impact to the organization in exchange for pay, benefits, and a healthy work environment.