Employer Resources

Resources for Employers Interested in Becoming a Second Chance Employer

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Why become a second chance employer

75% of sur­veyed busi­ness lead­ers sur­veyed report that their second chance hires were just as or more depend­able than hires without crim­in­al records;

81% repor­ted that the cost-to-hire second chance employ­ees was the same or less for hires without crim­in­al records;

Second chance hires are more loy­al and have lower turnover rates;

Mil­len­ni­als now com­prise a huge per­cent­age of the work force and a major­ity of them want to work for a com­pany that has inclus­ive employ­ment policies and a com­mit­ment to cor­por­ate social responsibility.

Pub­lic safety is enhanced because second chance employ­ees are less likely to reoffend.

Employ­ers are strongly encour­aged to work with a non-profit or gov­ern­ment part­ner that has trained or can refer employ­ment-ready people. These organ­iz­a­tions spe­cial­ize in work­ing with return­ing cit­izens (formerly incar­cer­ated people) and oth­ers with crim­in­al back­grounds. They often provide sup­port to the per­son after he or she is employed, and they are always look­ing for second chance employ­er part­ners. See the list below of non-profits who work with return­ing cit­izens eager to return to work. 

The Mary­land Fed­er­al Bond­ing Pro­gram pro­tects employ­ers whose second chance employ­ees com­mit fraud, theft, or for­gery. https://​www​.labor​.mary​land​.gov/​e​m​p​l​o​y​m​e​n​t​/​w​d​f​e​d​b​o​n​d​i​n​g​f​l​y​e​r.pdf

The fed­er­al Work­force Tax Cred­it provides employ­ers a tax cred­it equal to between 25% to 40% of a return­ing citizen’s qual­i­fy­ing wages. https://​www​.irs​.gov/​b​u​s​i​n​e​s​s​e​s​/​s​m​a​l​l​-​b​u​s​i​n​e​s​s​e​s​-​s​e​l​f​-​e​m​p​l​o​y​e​d​/​w​o​r​k​-​o​p​p​o​r​t​u​n​i​t​y​-​t​a​x​-​c​r​e​d​i​t​#​t​a​r​geted

Mary­land also offers a Work­force Tax Cred­it- https://​www​.labor​.mary​land​.gov/​e​m​p​l​o​y​m​e​n​t​/​w​o​t​c​t​a​x​c​r​e​d​i​t​m​a​t​c​h​.​shtml

Who can help?

The fol­low­ing Bal­timore-based organ­iz­a­tions can assist employ­ers look­ing to become a second chance employer.

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Turn­around Tuesday

Con­tact: Jermietra 

  • Email: jcarroll@​turnaroundtuesday.​org
  • Phone: 443−794−0672
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Cen­ter for Urb­an Families

  • Address: 2201 N. Mon­roe Street-Bal­timore, MD 21217
  • Phone: 410−367−5691
  • Web­site
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Pivot (Women Only)

  • Address: 901 North Milton Ave-Bal­timore, MD 21205.
  • Phone: 410−657−2352
  • Email: info@​pivotprogram.​org
  • Web­site

Where To Find Potential Employees

Amer­ic­an Jobs Cen­ters through­out the state. To find one near you, click here. 

Amer­ic­an Job Cen­ter in Bal­timore City

Vehicles for Change 

  • Con­tact: Tza­dda 
  • Email: Tcarpenter@​vehiclesforchange.​org 
  • Phone: 410−242−9674

Mayor’s Office of Eco­nom­ic Devel­op­ment 

PRE­PARE for Parole

HTP Homes

  • Con­tact: Claudia 
  • Email: changinglives@​htphomes.​org

A Great How-To Guide

How-to-We strongly recom­mend inter­ested employ­ers read busi­ness­man, Jef­frey Korzenik’s Untapped Tal­ent: How Second Chance Hir­ing Works for Your Busi­ness and the Com­munity. It is an excel­lent second chance employ­ment how-to guide that also includes tem­plates for screen­ing, recruit­ing and coach­ing doc­u­ments along with oth­er excel­lent resources.

Self assess­ment- Answer this 10-ques­tion sur­vey offered by the Soci­ety for Human Resource Man­age­ment. It will use your answers to gen­er­ate a report com­plete with tools and resources that can be used as you pre­pare to become a second chance employer.