Fair chance hiring mandates that employers only assess a candidate’s criminal record after the candidate has been interviewed and is considered qualified for a role. As many as one in three Americans have a criminal record and just 5 percent of Black Americans with a criminal record get called back after a job interview, compared to 17 percent of white Americans with the same background. Employment, however, has been shown to be the single most important factor in reducing recidivism. A few steps to consider as a fair chance program is being built include creating an intentional hiring plan, connecting with local partners to find top fair chance talent, conducting a skills-based interview, and fairly assessing charges.
