SHRM Challenges American Companies to Hire Qualified Individuals with Criminal Backgrounds

The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) has launched a second chances Getting Talent Back to Work pledge and toolkit to provide best practices and legal advice to businesses wishing to hire and to integrate successfully qualified individuals with a criminal record into their workforces. As an HR force for social change, SHRM is looking to challenge American companies - big and small - to consider hiring qualified individuals with criminal backgrounds.

According to SHRM's website, nearly 700,000 people are released from prison each year and are locked out of the job market. Those who have served their time should not be “re-sentenced” by employers, especially when businesses are experiencing a human capital crisis.

Join business leaders & pledge to consider all qualified candidates.

The pledge and toolkit is very clear that not everyone with a criminal background is qualified for every job, but rather it is a case-by-case review and discussion.