If you are searching for careers for felons, the restaurant industry and the armed forces are among the ideal options.
In these times of economic recession, it is difficult to find employment for the general population and even more so for convicts. There are limited industries that offer jobs to convicts, and most of these jobs are at the entry-level. Recognizing the hesitance of business organizations to hire felons, the government has introduced tax reforms and award programs to encourage industries to hire felons. One among them is the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC), which offers federal tax credit to those employers, who hire certain target groups, like felons. One more initiative is the Workforce Investment Act, which offers training programs that will help individuals with gainful employment. There is the Federal Bonding Program (FBP), which is run by the U.S. department of labor that guarantees employers the honesty of ex-felons for a stipulated time frame. If an organization hires a felon, the government offers a limited liability coverage at no extra cost.
Although, it might sound difficult to find industries that offer jobs to felons, there are opportunities in different sectors, for someone with a criminal past. Anyone who is willing to rehabilitate and find gainful employment should understand that although the task is difficult, it is not impossible to find a job. Work opportunities for felons may be limited, but if you are willing to put in some hard work, there are some industries which offer favorable opportunities. Given below are some of the avenues that you could explore when looking for jobs for felons.
Armed Forces
One of the best avenues for jobs for ex-felons is the U.S. Army. These jobs will not only give you a steady income, but will also give respectability, and the much-needed stability. The Army runs a ‘moral waiver’ program under which it gives employment to people with a criminal background, in different sections, like construction, maintenance, etc.
Nonprofit Organizations
Surf the Internet and find nonprofit organizations in your locality. Due to the nature of their work, they have a more lenient attitude towards offering jobs for felons. If you don’t get a job upfront, start volunteering at a nonprofit organization (NPO), and get that experience on your resume. Approach another NPO for paid employment.
Restaurant Jobs
Restaurants are among those places that hire felons, and have enough job opportunities, if you are willing to start at the entry-level. The restaurant industry has something known as the floating staff, meaning employees join and then they leave. This makes it simpler to get a job in this industry, as they are always on a lookout for fresh pairs of hands and legs.
Online Jobs
If you have basic knowledge of computers, then one of the avenues for jobs for ex-offenders is the Internet. You could do online content writing, market research, data entry, surveys, etc. Although some of these opportunities might be temporary, they offer an opportunity to make a decent earning. Agencies offer these jobs to felons too, as they do not require interacting with clients or handling their office property.
Construction Jobs
Companies hire felons for construction field. These companies are on the constant lookout for people who are willing to put in some hard work. People with skills, like painting, plumbing, etc., and machine operators, have a good scope of employment in this sector.
Other industries that could offer careers for convicts are the Christian missionaries and the Salvation Army. Keep a lookout for ‘Help Wanted’ signs around your neighborhood, and don’t be embarrassed to approach these business owners.