Second Chance Hiring

March 26, 2024

 

Greetings HR Directors,

Governor Youngkin commissioned a prisoner re-entry optimization focused on improve re-entry success. One of the key initiatives within the optimization is a partnership with Virginia Works and the Department of Correction to pilot and develop a second chance hiring program for recently released inmates (supervisees). The goal of the program is to help state agencies leverage supervisees for talent needs. Employment opportunities include classified positions, wage positions, and apprenticeships. By further increasing accessibility in state hiring practices, the Commonwealth will benefit from a larger talent pool to address talent needs. Additionally, the Commonwealth will provide gainful employment opportunities to second chance individuals, improving reentry success and mitigating generational incarceration.

Based on the assessment performed by Melissa King at Virginia Works, we are initially targeting jobs that fall within these SOC categories:

• 350000 Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations
• 370000 Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance Occupations
• 392000 Animal Care and Service Workers
• 452000 Agricultural Workers
• 470000 Construction and Extraction Occupations
• 493000 Vehicle and Mobile Equipment Mechanics, Installers and Repairers
• 537000 Material Moving Workers

We understand that there are several position categories that are not permitted to hire individuals with barrier crimes such as health care, education, and other positions supporting vulnerable populations. However, for the other jobs not impacted by barrier crimes, we want agencies to be open to employing these individuals.

We want to understand the restrictions your agency would have on employing these individuals other than barrier crimes. Please send your agency restrictions on employing reentry participants into the above SOC category to Ponnette Smith no later than Wednesday, April 3. If we don’t hear from you and you’re not already in the excluded list, we will assume that there are no issues within your agency.

We will be hosting a webinar on Thursday, April 11 from 10:00am-11:00am and 1:00pm-2:00pm. Please place a hold on your calendar. More information will be forthcoming.

Thank you!