Employment

Policy makers across the political spectrum agree that for people released from prison or jail, employment can be the gateway to successful reentry. Evidence supports that reentering individuals are more likely to be re incarcerated if they are unemployed. Nevertheless, the barriers that millions of adults with criminal records face as they seek to enter the U.S. workforce is extensive.

For business owners: It’s hard to hire good people; hiring returning citizens can effectively be done and by employing returning citizens they become tax payers rather than liabilities; safer communities result, employees become loyal and more community based, prosperous businesses are cultivated. Participants rebuild themselves by acquiring and keeping a good job, learning positive workplace behaviors and skills and regain self-confidence as they assume a productive role in society.

Benefits to employers:

The Georgia Work Opportunity Tax Credit allows an employer to reduce his or her taxes by hiring individuals in certain “target groups”. Ex-felons fall into this category. The employer can deduct a percentage of the first $6,000 in wages; there is no limit to the number of hires that can qualify for the tax savings.

Federal Bonding Program: Fidelity bonding is employee dishonesty insurance that protects employers against embezzlement, larceny, forgery or theft by employees. The bonding program provides individual fidelity bonds to employers for job applicants.

Learn more about both programs:

Federal Bonding Fact Sheet

Work Opportunity Tax Credit Fact Sheet