National H.I.R.E. Network's Article of the Month
Certificates of Rehabilitation
Glenn E. Martin
States are increasingly looking for ways
to increase employment opportunities for jobseekers with criminal records, while continuing to balance public safety. Short of a
full pardon, or some other form of sealing, erasure or expungement, Certificates of Rehabilitation can serve as an essential resource to support
labor market entry and reentry of qualified jobseekers with criminal records. In some states, certificates serve to lift statutory
bars to jobs, licenses or other necessities, such as housing, resulting from a conviction history. Certificates may be used to provide a way for
qualified people with criminal records to demonstrate evidence of rehabilitation or a commitment to
rehabilitation.
While only six states currently have laws authorizing
certificates of rehabilitation or similar means of removing legal barriers arising from a criminal record, the national HIRE Network has increasingly
been called upon by local advocates and policymakers to assist with strategizing around the creation of some form of Certificate.
While the National HIRE Network believes that people should have an opportunity to escape the stigma attached to a criminal history through
some form of expungement, sealing or erasure, especially when the criminal history is old, minor, or an arrest that ended in a favorable disposition,
we believe that certificates can effectively serve as an intermediary resource to help facilitate successful reintegration.
For a Certificate of Rehabilitation
toolkit, see http://www.lac.org/toolkits/Introduction.htm. This kit helps those advocating for
legislation to create certificates that lift automatic bars to employment, occupational licenses and public housing.
In addition, the National HIRE
Network recently testified at the Connecticut General Assembly in support of H.B. Raised Bill No. 5781, "An Act Concerning Certificates of
Employability and Rehabilitation." To read the testimony, please click here.
The National HIRE Network's Youth ~n~ Justice Project has a new
publication, Understanding Juvenile & Criminal Records and Their Impact on Employment in New York State. This manual,
authored by Laurie Parise, Equal Justice Woorks Fellow, will educate young people who have been
involved in the juvenile or criminal justice system, and those that work with them, on the challenges faced when seeking employment and
what can be done to lessen, or in some cases remove, those barriers. The National HIRE Network has
partnered with YouthBuild to create a California version of the manual.
To read more, click here.
Funding Opportunities
1. Workforce Investment Act - Small Grassroots Organizations Connecting with the
One-Stop Delivery System (SGA/DFA PY 05-08)
2. Task Force for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives Funding Opportunity
3. Bread and Roses Community Fund: Invites Applications for Racial and Economic Justice Fund
4. SAMHSA Offers State Incentive Grants
5. Isabel Allende Foundation: Esperanza Grants
6. Women's Foundation of Minnesota: Social Change Fund
To get eligibility details about the above-mentioned grant and many more, click here.
Message to the National HIRE Network Advisory Board
As a reminder, the National HIRE Network's Spring Advisory Board
Meeting will be held in New York City, NY on May 25, 2006, from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm, EST. We look forward to sharing details of our
accomplishments over the past few months, and receiving your advice! For more details, click here.
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H.I.R.E. on the Hill
Lawmakers Continue to Negotiate Agreement on Tax-Cut
Legislation That Would Extend the Work Opportunity Tax Credit; Members Expect that Conferees Will Soon Come to Consensus
Congress has recently been working on
broad legislation to renew a number of tax cut and credit programs. In December, the House of Representatives approved H.R. 4297 and the Senate
approved a similar version of the legislation on February 2nd. Both approved versions of H.R. 4297 include a provision to extend the Work
Opportunity Tax Credit, which expired on December 31st.
To read more, click here.
Hot Off the Press
One of the lawyers who helped found the Legal Action Center (National HIRE
Network parent organization) and authored New York State's precedent setting anti-discrimination law protecting jobseekers with criminal records,
longtime board member law professor Michael Meltsner, has authored a new book, The Making of a Civil Rights Lawyer (Univ. of
Virginia Press), acclaimed by one reviewer,Victor Navasky, as "marvelous, nuanced, psychologically penetrating, entertaining and legally
sophisticated." Deeply researched and using files that have previously been off-limits, The Making of a Civil Rights Lawyer contains portraits
of some larger-than-life figures and tells the inside story of law reform that will appeal to anyone interested in social change.
To learn more about the book, and other recently released publications, click here.
Upcoming Conferences of Interest
SAVE THE DATE: The 2006 National Transitional Jobs
Network Conference, "Strengthening Communities. Building the Workforce of the Future. Transitional Jobs Work." will be held in Atlanta,
Georgia, October 12-13, 2006. Join program administrators, policy advocates, government officials, and funders to discuss how to design, implement
and advocate for Transitional Jobs programs to meet the needs of populations and communities across the country. The conference will spotlight
innovative TJ programs working with ex-offenders, welfare recipients, and youth as well as communities and organizations who are committed to
advancing the strategy. Conference participants will have the opportunity to customize their conference experience through the selection of workshop
sessions and visit a Transitional Jobs program in Atlanta, GA. Conference speakers will include Michael L. Thurmond, Commissioner of the Georgia
Department of Labor and Dennis Schrantz, Director of Policy and Planning for the Michigan Department of Corrections. More information can be found on
the NTJN website at www.transitionaljobs.net.
To view the complete calendar of conferences, click here.
Staff
To read and download National H.I.R.E. Network staff bios, click here.
Roberta
Meyers-Peeples
Co-Director
rampeeples@hirenetwork.org
Glenn E.
Martin
Co-Director
gmartin@hirenetwork.org
Alexa Eggleston, JD
Director of National Policy
aeggleston@lac-dc.org
Susan
Hallett
Program
Analyst
shallett@hirenetwork.org
Laurie
Parise, JD
Equal Justice Works
Fellow
lparise@hirenetwork.org
Gabrielle de la Gueronniere,
JD
Policy Associate
gdelagueronniere@lac-dc.org
Daphne
Philippe
Administrative Assistant
dphilippe@hirenetwork.org
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