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Policy Brief

Updating New York State's Employment Restrictions for People with Criminal Convictions

 

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As NYS continues to implement reforms to increase rehabilitation and reduce perpetual punishment, policymakers must examine laws and regulations that impose restrictions on employment, training, and income security.

Read our policy brief here.

Guides

NYS Employer Guide

Rethink your hiring strategy

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Read our employer guide

NYS Employee Guide

Overcome employment barriers

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Read our employee guide

Criminal Record Online Toolkit

Nationwide Resource

Our toolkit outlines national and state-specific information on employment laws and criminal record remedies available in 48 states, District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.

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Access the online toolkit

Latest posts on benefits and resources

See all employment-resource posts

Restorative Record Project Launched

New initiative and accompanying web-based tool helps employers see beyond criminal records of applicants and into the skills applicants would bring to jobs.
Jodi Anderson Jr.
Restorative Record Project Launched

Financial Incentives for Hiring Justice-Impacted

CJEI’s Rachel Joseph explains that companies who hire people with previous involvement in the criminal legal system may qualify for financial incentives such as the Work Opportunity Tax Credit and the Federal Bonding Program.
Business Interview
Financial Incentives for Hiring Justice-Impacted

9 Myths About Hiring People with Criminal Records

CJEI's Timothy McNutt busts 9 common myths about hiring people with criminal records.
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9 Myths About Hiring People with Criminal Records

Videos

See more videos

Watch Video: Unlock 70 Million More Job Candidates on Oct. 26

Join us on Thursday, October 26, 2023, at 12pm EDT as Timothy McNutt, director of Cornell ILR’s Criminal Justice and Employment Initiative (CJEI), discusses policies to help integrate job seekers with criminal records into the workforce. 
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Watch Video: Unlock 70 Million More Job Candidates on Oct. 26

Watch Video: CJEI's Restorative Record Project

The Restorative Record project is a technology enabled solution that can help mitigate the collateral consequences of background checks as a screening device for opportunity within the justice impacted community.
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Watch Video: CJEI's Restorative Record Project

Watch Video: Improving Outcomes for Justice-Involved Youth

Timothy McNutt, Director of ILR’s Criminal Justice and Employment Initiative, moderates the Yang Tan Institute’s Y-ReCONNECTS panel to promote systemic change to improve outcomes for justice-impacted youth with intellectual, developmental, and other disabilities.
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Watch Video: Improving Outcomes for Justice-Involved Youth

Employers that Hire

According to New York Governor Cuomo's Work for Success Pledge, companies have signed the Work for Success Pledge, committing to consider qualified individuals with criminal convictions for employment.

The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) announced the Getting Talent Back to Work pledge, signaling a commitment from employers to provide job opportunities to qualified people with criminal records.

Obama's White House Fair Chance Pledge announced the Fair Chance Pledge, where over 100 organizations have made a commitment to promote fair chance hiring, eliminate barriers to reentry, and provide meaningful opportunities for all to succeed.