About 7 million Californians have a criminal record that will show up in a background check. California’s “ban the box” law prevents employers in the public sector from asking about an applicant’s criminal background in the early stages of the hiring process. But former prisoners say finding work is an uphill battle, particularly for minorities. We discuss efforts to help those with arrest records get jobs, and we talk with a business owner about the benefits of hiring people who have served time.
Former Prisoners Struggle to Find Jobs
(Getty Images)
Guests:
Miya Saika Chen, staff attorney for economic justice with the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area
Michael Hannigan, owner of Give Something Back Office Supplies
Kevin McCracken, COO and co-founder of Social Imprints, a San Francisco printing company that specifically hires and trains people with prison records
Monique Perkins, Alameda County director of the Center for Employment Opportunities
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