February 12, 2013
Should Retailers Hire Ex-Cons?
Retailers have been lauded in recent years for their concentrated efforts to hire workers with physical disabilities (Walgreens comes immediately to mind) as well as military veterans (Home Depot, Walmart, etc.). Many merchants have been recognized for giving seniors employment and the industry has always been seen as a great point of entry for teens into the working world. It’s clear in all of these instances that retail jobs help to fill societal needs. So what about the industry getting behind one more effort — providing jobs to men and women getting out of jail.
In New Jersey, a bill sponsored by State Sen. Raymond Lesniak (D-Union) and others would forbid companies from asking prospective employees about criminal history until after they’ve been offered a job. The goal, in a state where more than half of prisoners are rearrested, is to cut down on recidivism rates.
"An ex-offender who has had doors slammed in his face won’t be an ex-offender for long — he’ll be a repeat offender," Sen. Lesniak told The Star-Ledger. "This is giving ex-offenders a second chance."
The bill would not require employers to hire workers with a criminal past, but would prevent workers from being disqualified for employment if the offense is 10 years old or older. There are exceptions for employers when it comes to particularly heinous crimes.
The New Jersey Business & Industry Association told The Star-Ledger that it is supportive of the bill’s concept, but that it will need more details.
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Recent Discussions
Discussion Questions
Is there room for ex-convicts at retail? Would companies need to provide specialized training for former criminals entering the workforce?
Poll
Why not? Ex-cons need jobs to re-enter society and retailers need talent. The challenge will be preparing the organization to treat ex-cons fairly and with the respect most deserve and need.
An industry that employs 4 out of every 5 Americans cannot help but hire the men and women who have been in jail. I think it is another important step for retailers to be more open about it and to embrace it.
However, it may be necessary to restrict those who went to jail based on a crime committed in the retail industry from being rehired. Since I spent the better part of my retail career in New Jersey, I know that may have a significant impact in that state as to the number of rehires.
A good friend of mine is legendary for having brought the Indian Motorcycle company out of a multi-decade bankruptcy, paying an enormous sum for just for the brand. As he set up the manufacturing, he hired ex-cons who were also bikers. When you think about it, what could have been a more perfect match? Guys who know and love bikes and who need a chance.
Do former criminals need special training…don’t we all? The greater issue is to understand who it is you’re hiring and I don’t mean applying a knee-jerk stereotypical, as seen on TV ‘ex-con’ label on them. There are many tools you can use to understand how they think, what their propensities are, etc. Target Training International is the selection and “on-boarding” company I’m most familiar with and there are other good ones as well.
I’m becoming involved with a program here in AZ that helps our amazing Vets find meaningful and rewarding jobs that align with their way of thinking, their aptitudes and so on. I know it’s a totally different circumstance, but the one common thread is how to we help people move to new levels of possibilities in their lives regardless of what they’ve been through?
There is magic and giftedness in everyone—how to find and release it is our challenge.
This is an important step in the rehabilitation process. More states need to take a look at adopting legislation similar to New Jersey. New Jersey with its outspoken and proactive Governor is fast becoming the beacon in progressive, and in some ways non-political governing.
I don’t think legislation is the answer here. This needs to be considered on a case by case basis. Sure, ex-cons should get a crack at the job market, but it seems to me that their criminal record is relevant to potential employers and needs to be discussed upfront.
A better approach might be for legislators to work with various retail associations to come up with a voluntary plan. But, I’d say it needs to be under the radar, as shoppers won’t be too thrilled to know that their favorite store hires ex-cons, much as they might feel they deserve a second chance.
I don’t think that terms like “felon” mean the same thing today that they meant 30 years ago. So if what it takes to become a felon is much easier these days, then the old standards of employment just don’t seem to apply. Especially in cases where they’ve paid their price and have successfully moved on. So, absolutely there’s room. Do they need “special” training? Any training in retail, for any employee, would be great.
We don’t need legislation to prevent asking questions in an interview. A good background check and gap in resume will answer the questions. With a booming economy right now and unemployment near zero for those who really want to work, there are plenty of jobs available.
The food industry has an abundant amount of jobs available in agriculture. The biggest complaint I hear is we don’t have enough workers to pick crops. I’ve heard of dairy farmers hiring ex-cons to work on their farms. There is minimal risk in hiring ex-cons for these jobs.
Wow, tough call here. If ex-cons cannot find employment they are more likely to become cons once again. But understandably it feels very risky to hire them, and in particular, if the crime they committed was related to theft, robbery, or any type of violence. I think the 10-year guideline is reasonable, although I would prefer to add some qualifications in regards to what type of crime was committed.
Whatever the purpose of this legislation, it’s greatest success will be to further alienate certain individuals in a state-wide community that is long overdue for some social behavior mending. The incentives provided to assist with mainstreaming members of our society that are physically disabled or have mental health issues can be adapted to recognize the issues that are carried by those that have wronged society and now wish to return as productive members. These individuals will also need ongoing life support.
Employers that are willing to and rewarded for working with state and local social workers to accomplish these efforts will be much more cost effective for society. And with proper maintenance the open program will surely be better for those in need of our help. We need to build and use what works for everyone.
I agree with Nikki: though this is somewhat less of a problem in Canada (for now), you can end up in jail with a criminal record in the USA for seemingly just about anything.
I don’t believe legislation ever accomplishes anything except the exact opposite of its stated intentions. Retailers should be able to hire and fire whomever they want at whatever price the person in question is willing to sell their labour for. I think it should be up to the retailers to decide if a criminal record is a deal-breaker or not, but given again how easy it is to find oneself with one of those, perhaps the retailer may want to look at the specifics of a prospective employee’s criminal record with a bit more critical an eye: why pass up an otherwise promising employee because he got caught with a quarter ounce of weed or committed some other victimless “offense” that landed him in a cage?
Rehabilitation should encompass elements in which a person feels valuable and empowered. With the proper safeguards in place, the retail industry, like QSRs, should be able to utilize this growing labor-force.
Former criminals could be great candidates for loss prevention duties. If the crime is 10 years ago or earlier, it makes sense to give such convicts a second chance. Training for such candidates could be no different from the others, since they are chosen on merit and not due to their background.
Should retailers hire ex-convicts? Maybe yes, maybe no…it depends on the specifics of the job and the individual. Should the law prohibit asking about criminal history? Of course not! (Even if employers were to be indemnified.) And let’s get real here: you don’t end up in prison—or with some kind of lengthy sentence—for “seemingly just about anything”…life isn’t like an old Warner Bros. movie.
Perhaps. The key here is the details. Retailers should not be the doctors for society’s ills, but instead the suppliers of their products and services. It is the prison system which needs to better train and equip prisoners for the outside world, not retailers.
To clarify: the proposed legislation in New Jersey wouldn’t prevent employers from asking whether a person has committed a felony. The question may be asked after an employer has made the decision to hire based solely on a prospect’s qualifications. In other words, the law supposes that some employers are currently not giving applicants a fair shake almost entirely due to a criminal record.
I think it’s safe to say that many people incarcerated today are there, in large part, due to a drug problem and/or mental health issues. Many of these same types of people are sent to doctors in other countries while here they go to prison. These types of people, in particular, are candidates likely to benefit most from a second chance.
Many ex-convicts have trade skills they learned behind bars such as metal stamping and woodworks that are rare skills in America.
Modern retailers do need metal enclosures to hold flat planel or tablet displays as well as customer furniture for the showroom effect. This is where ex-cons can definitely bring something of value with their skill set.
Could be that an ex-con might be the only low wage employee available who can pass a drug test! We recently had a new Target store open. Of better than 1600 applicants only 123 tested drug free. Who would you rather have working for you, a drug user or an ex-con? And people wonder why internet sales are booming!
As to training, this should be the responsibility of the state. We already pay billions to governments to provide rehabilitation services to convicts. If they aren’t prepared to work then maybe the government should contact prospective employers and find out what training is needed and coordinate with the vocational schools and technical schools that we are already funding at the billion dollar level to get these potential employees ready to enter the workforce.
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Why not? Ex-cons need jobs to re-enter society and retailers need talent. The challenge will be preparing the organization to treat ex-cons fairly and with the respect most deserve and need.
An industry that employs 4 out of every 5 Americans cannot help but hire the men and women who have been in jail. I think it is another important step for retailers to be more open about it and to embrace it.
However, it may be necessary to restrict those who went to jail based on a crime committed in the retail industry from being rehired. Since I spent the better part of my retail career in New Jersey, I know that may have a significant impact in that state as to the number of rehires.
A good friend of mine is legendary for having brought the Indian Motorcycle company out of a multi-decade bankruptcy, paying an enormous sum for just for the brand. As he set up the manufacturing, he hired ex-cons who were also bikers. When you think about it, what could have been a more perfect match? Guys who know and love bikes and who need a chance.
Do former criminals need special training…don’t we all? The greater issue is to understand who it is you’re hiring and I don’t mean applying a knee-jerk stereotypical, as seen on TV ‘ex-con’ label on them. There are many tools you can use to understand how they think, what their propensities are, etc. Target Training International is the selection and “on-boarding” company I’m most familiar with and there are other good ones as well.
I’m becoming involved with a program here in AZ that helps our amazing Vets find meaningful and rewarding jobs that align with their way of thinking, their aptitudes and so on. I know it’s a totally different circumstance, but the one common thread is how to we help people move to new levels of possibilities in their lives regardless of what they’ve been through?
There is magic and giftedness in everyone—how to find and release it is our challenge.
This is an important step in the rehabilitation process. More states need to take a look at adopting legislation similar to New Jersey. New Jersey with its outspoken and proactive Governor is fast becoming the beacon in progressive, and in some ways non-political governing.
I don’t think legislation is the answer here. This needs to be considered on a case by case basis. Sure, ex-cons should get a crack at the job market, but it seems to me that their criminal record is relevant to potential employers and needs to be discussed upfront.
A better approach might be for legislators to work with various retail associations to come up with a voluntary plan. But, I’d say it needs to be under the radar, as shoppers won’t be too thrilled to know that their favorite store hires ex-cons, much as they might feel they deserve a second chance.
I don’t think that terms like “felon” mean the same thing today that they meant 30 years ago. So if what it takes to become a felon is much easier these days, then the old standards of employment just don’t seem to apply. Especially in cases where they’ve paid their price and have successfully moved on. So, absolutely there’s room. Do they need “special” training? Any training in retail, for any employee, would be great.
We don’t need legislation to prevent asking questions in an interview. A good background check and gap in resume will answer the questions. With a booming economy right now and unemployment near zero for those who really want to work, there are plenty of jobs available.
The food industry has an abundant amount of jobs available in agriculture. The biggest complaint I hear is we don’t have enough workers to pick crops. I’ve heard of dairy farmers hiring ex-cons to work on their farms. There is minimal risk in hiring ex-cons for these jobs.
Wow, tough call here. If ex-cons cannot find employment they are more likely to become cons once again. But understandably it feels very risky to hire them, and in particular, if the crime they committed was related to theft, robbery, or any type of violence. I think the 10-year guideline is reasonable, although I would prefer to add some qualifications in regards to what type of crime was committed.
Whatever the purpose of this legislation, it’s greatest success will be to further alienate certain individuals in a state-wide community that is long overdue for some social behavior mending. The incentives provided to assist with mainstreaming members of our society that are physically disabled or have mental health issues can be adapted to recognize the issues that are carried by those that have wronged society and now wish to return as productive members. These individuals will also need ongoing life support.
Employers that are willing to and rewarded for working with state and local social workers to accomplish these efforts will be much more cost effective for society. And with proper maintenance the open program will surely be better for those in need of our help. We need to build and use what works for everyone.
I agree with Nikki: though this is somewhat less of a problem in Canada (for now), you can end up in jail with a criminal record in the USA for seemingly just about anything.
I don’t believe legislation ever accomplishes anything except the exact opposite of its stated intentions. Retailers should be able to hire and fire whomever they want at whatever price the person in question is willing to sell their labour for. I think it should be up to the retailers to decide if a criminal record is a deal-breaker or not, but given again how easy it is to find oneself with one of those, perhaps the retailer may want to look at the specifics of a prospective employee’s criminal record with a bit more critical an eye: why pass up an otherwise promising employee because he got caught with a quarter ounce of weed or committed some other victimless “offense” that landed him in a cage?
Rehabilitation should encompass elements in which a person feels valuable and empowered. With the proper safeguards in place, the retail industry, like QSRs, should be able to utilize this growing labor-force.
Former criminals could be great candidates for loss prevention duties. If the crime is 10 years ago or earlier, it makes sense to give such convicts a second chance. Training for such candidates could be no different from the others, since they are chosen on merit and not due to their background.
Should retailers hire ex-convicts? Maybe yes, maybe no…it depends on the specifics of the job and the individual. Should the law prohibit asking about criminal history? Of course not! (Even if employers were to be indemnified.) And let’s get real here: you don’t end up in prison—or with some kind of lengthy sentence—for “seemingly just about anything”…life isn’t like an old Warner Bros. movie.
Perhaps. The key here is the details. Retailers should not be the doctors for society’s ills, but instead the suppliers of their products and services. It is the prison system which needs to better train and equip prisoners for the outside world, not retailers.
To clarify: the proposed legislation in New Jersey wouldn’t prevent employers from asking whether a person has committed a felony. The question may be asked after an employer has made the decision to hire based solely on a prospect’s qualifications. In other words, the law supposes that some employers are currently not giving applicants a fair shake almost entirely due to a criminal record.
I think it’s safe to say that many people incarcerated today are there, in large part, due to a drug problem and/or mental health issues. Many of these same types of people are sent to doctors in other countries while here they go to prison. These types of people, in particular, are candidates likely to benefit most from a second chance.
Many ex-convicts have trade skills they learned behind bars such as metal stamping and woodworks that are rare skills in America.
Modern retailers do need metal enclosures to hold flat planel or tablet displays as well as customer furniture for the showroom effect. This is where ex-cons can definitely bring something of value with their skill set.
Could be that an ex-con might be the only low wage employee available who can pass a drug test! We recently had a new Target store open. Of better than 1600 applicants only 123 tested drug free. Who would you rather have working for you, a drug user or an ex-con? And people wonder why internet sales are booming!
As to training, this should be the responsibility of the state. We already pay billions to governments to provide rehabilitation services to convicts. If they aren’t prepared to work then maybe the government should contact prospective employers and find out what training is needed and coordinate with the vocational schools and technical schools that we are already funding at the billion dollar level to get these potential employees ready to enter the workforce.