A criminal background shouldn’t be a life sentence: How to mentor and upskill employees so they thrive at your business

By Alyssa Place, This is my expertise
Published Updated 7 Min Read

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Employees with a previous criminal record have already served their time in the justice system — but challenges finding work and assimilating to corporate life can feel like fresh punishment. 

Between 70-100 million Americans have some type of criminal record, according to the Sentencing Project, a research and advocacy organization. Once they leave the justice system, the unemployment rate for those with a criminal background is 27%, according to analysis by the Prison Policy Initiative, compared to the national unemployment rate of just 3.5%. 

Alyssa Place
Editor-in-chief

Alyssa Place is the editor-in-chief of Employee Benefit News and has been with the team since 2019. Her work covers mental health, DEI, women at work, financial wellness, retirement and workplace … Read full bio


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