FAQ

~ What is a Fair Chance hiring policy?

It removes questions about criminal history information from an initial job application
Delays criminal history inquiry until later in the hiring process
Ensures job seekers have an opportunity to be considered for their skill and qualifications
More clearly abides to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) guidelines for hiring practices

~What is it not?

~ Why is a Fair Chance hiring policy needed?

Many people have a criminal history
Nearly 1 in 3 Americans have some kind of a criminal record
Over 14 million arrests are made every year
1 in 15 Americans will be in the prison system sometime in their lifetime
Nearly 12 million Texans have a criminal record, or more than 4 out of 10 people
Employers don’t always fairly consider applicants with a criminal record
About 92% of employers inquire about the criminal histories of prospective employees
A criminal record reduces the likelihood of a job callback or offer by almost 50%
If hiring discrimination takes place, it is most likely (76%) to take place at the first interaction: the submission of a job application
Unemployment is a major barrier for returning citizens reintegrating into society
Employment greatly reduces the risk of recidivism

~ Why Would This Policy be Good for Lubbock?

Employment of people with criminal records increases the overall well-being of families:

In the year after an incarcerated father is released, the total family income drops by approximately 15% from what it was before the father’s incarceration
83% of the families of formerly incarcerated men provide financial assistance to these men
50% of these families view this assistance as a “financial challenge” and 30% of families view it as a “financial hardship”

Employment of people with criminal records increases the overall economic well-being of

communities

An economic study showed that because those with felony records and the formerly incarcerated have poor job prospects in the labor market, the nation’s gross domestic product in 2008 was reduced by $57 to $65 billion
In Texas, the average annual cost per inmate is $21,39012
A Washington State analysis found that providing job training and employment to a formerly incarcerated person returned more than $2,600 to taxpayers

Putting just 100 formerly incarcerated persons back to work would:

Increase their lifetime earnings by $55 million
Increase their income tax contributions by $1.9 million
Boost sales tax revenues by $770,000
Save tax payers $2 million annually by keeping them out of the criminal justice system

~ Where else is the Fair Chance movement?

Over 150 cities and counties nationwide
29 states representing every region of the U.S.
10 of these states and fourteen cities and counties extend their fair chance hiring policies to local private employers
See the National Employment Law Project website www.nelp.org for up-to-date information and statistics