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COVID-19 UPDATE
AS AN "ESSENTIAL BUSINESS" WE ARE STILL HERE TO ASSIST YOU!!!!
We are available for TELEPHONE CONSULTATION
from 9AM to 5PM Monday-Friday
Call (214)296-9258 or email info@unlockingdoors.org
Your call or email will be answered and we will continue to serve the community.
"Nonprofit organizations have the skills and agility necessary to form and leverage connections to create meaningful impact. Unlocking DOORS®, a nonprofit organization based in Dallas, Texas, is doing the important work of connection to serve individuals with criminal backgrounds."
There is no doubt that the success of a company is determined by those it employs; thereby making acquisition of the appropriate and necessary talent a key priority for any business. However, with the job market tightening, employers are experiencing more difficulty in recruiting and hiring qualified employees; requiring companies to become creative with their hiring practices.
My suggestion – hire former offenders!
On a national scale, one in three American adults has some type of criminal record. More than 2 million Americans are in state and federal prisons. More than 95 percent of these individuals – nearly 700,000 each year – will one day be released from prison and face the challenges of reintegrating into our communities.
As an attorney who has founded/owned several businesses, I understand the reluctance a company may have in hiring such individuals – the fear of potential liability tops the list. But, according a national poll, the primary reason employers conduct applicant background checks is to reduce legal liability rather than to ensure a safe work environment (49 percent) or to assess trustworthiness (17 percent). These concerns lead employers to pass over qualified employees for less competent ones. A criminal record does not disqualify a candidate categorically; it simply limits a candidate’s ability to attain certain positions that may be the best match for his/her skillset.
Since nearly one-third of “working-age” Americans have a criminal record, dismissing those with a record means that companies are eliminating a big portion of the labor pool in their hiring processes. Employers are absolutely justified in wanting to hire trustworthy, responsible workers; however, with so many people with criminal records, it stands to reason that potentially valuable employees are being overlooked (Brennan Center for Justice).
My personal experience in working with former offenders has shown them to be highly motivated to excel in large part due to the gratefulness they feel towards the employer for giving them a chance. They are committed to working hard, driven by the need for a steady paycheck – the key to securing sustainable housing, transportation and other necessities. Felons can be brilliant and caring people; they just made a mistake. Employers should ask the person why he or she was incarcerated. If they committed a drug-related offense to feed their family, perhaps this is forgivable.
How can a business take advantage of this talent pool while limiting its risk?
One very simple but important way – work with a reentry program that will appropriately vet potential employee applicants and will be there to assist the company with any issues that may arise with the individual post-hiring.
Unlocking DOORS®, the nonprofit organization that I founded and run, is a nationally-unique reentry network platform that provides such services to any employer who agrees to offer employment to our clients. Through a one-of-a-kind process called Reentry Brokerage®, Unlocking DOORS® approaches the client and his/her needs in a holistic manner to assure best chances for a future of self-sufficiency that is crime free.
The key to this process is ensuring that the client has the four key barriers to successful reintegration satisfied – employment, housing, transportation and medical/mental health. These needs are intertwined and affect each other: a client may secure a job; however, without a place to sleep, a means of transport and good health, the individual will have a very difficult time sustaining the job. Working with a reentry organization, such as Unlocking DOORS®, will help ensure that a company receives appropriate client referrals that match the company’s needs, while providing an ongoing support system for the employer.
To maximize full impact when hiring former offenders, an employer should work closely with the reentry organization as follows:
So, hire a former offender – you might just find an excellent employee! Done the right way, the benefits your company will reap more than outweigh any perceived risk that may exist.
Unlocking DOORS® is now on DART! Save time and money using DART's interactive map! Follow the directions below for an easy way to plan your trip to our new headquarters.
• Click "Charitable Organizations"
• Scroll to the bottom of the "Charitable Organizations"; you will see "Unlocking DOORS"; click it
• You will see a rectangle appear with "Landmark" at the top
• You can click the following within the "Landmark" rectangle to assist in your trip planning:
Unlocking DOORS® Headquarters
12225 Greenville Ave., Ste 850
Dallas, Texas 75243
Hours: M-F 9:00am-5:00pm
Call or email for an appointment
Main Number - 214-296-9258
info@unlockingdoors.org
Cornerstone Assistance Network
3500 Noble Avenue
Fort Worth, Texas 76111
Hours: M-F 9:00am-5:00pm
Call or email for an appointment
Main Number - 214-296-9258
info@unlockingdoors.org
Unlocking DOORS® Media Kit
Please click here if you would like
to receive a full printed media kit.
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Susan McHenry — August 5, 2019
Our colleague, friend and champion for all. She will forever be loved and missed.
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