Equal Opportunity in the Workplace for Felons
Residents of Texas, hear me! I’m sure we are all well aware of the hardships people go through once being released from prison. Many newly-released prisoners find themselves back in the system because they don’t have access to many resources that you and I don’t even bat an eye at. I want your help breaking this pattern by making the job hunt easier for felons and providing them with more opportunities. I’m sure you’re familiar with the difficulty of finding housing, counseling and employment. Felony or not, those things are hard. For those with a criminal record, these things may seem next to impossible, especially finding a job. Without a job, money is hard to keep steady and housing is hard to find and maintain. The stress of unemployment also is likely to pull them into drug or alcohol abuse which is a slippery slope, especially for those with substance abuse history. Overall, not having a job has a negative impact on mental health and re-arrests can be likely because of it.
Let’s break this cycle. If we care about seeing our community thriving, we should want accessible opportunities for everyone. Employers aren’t exactly eager to hire convicts because they fear crime in the workplace, believe the employee will be dishonest or are worried about their company’s reputation. In fact, many companies automatically disqualify people who have felonies. Sound unfair? Yeah, I think so too. Those are stereotypes and are rooted in prejudice. All people are different with different skills, experiences, and stories and it is unjust to categorize all felons as one. Everyone who wants a second chance and is working towards rehabilitation deserves one. Employment is a wonderful opportunity for ex-prisoners to integrate themselves back into society but they aren’t being given a fair chance.
Want to help? Request to set up a meeting with Senator Ted Cruz and use your voice to tell him why this bill would be beneficial to Texas. Go to the Cruz senate site (direct link to meeting requests https://www.cruz.senate.gov/?p=meeting_requests) and fill out your information to start scheduling a meeting. Sound a little out of your reach? I know you all have other responsibilities and if that takes up too much time, you can still help out! How about writing someone a quick email or leaving a one minute voicemail instead? More do-able? I thought so. I’m asking you, yes YOU, to help Texas pass the Fair Chance Initiative statewide. With this act in place, most employers will not be able to ask about the criminal record of an applicant before making a job offer. This also means they can’t put things like “no felonies” on ads or ask about criminal history in application or interview questions. This act is already in place state-wide in 32 other states but in Texas, it only applies in Austin to employers with 15 or more workers. To help get this act passed state-wide in Texas, you can contact the leaders of the Texas Senate (contact information located at the bottom) through email or phone and tell them to pass this act. I even provided a template so all you have to do is copy, paste and fill in the blanks. Easy enough? Passing this act will provide everyone with an equal chance at getting a job and won’t cloud an employer’s judgement. This will give thousands of people opportunities that would’ve most likely otherwise be taken from them.
If you’re reading this thinking that you are too small of a person to make a difference, you wouldn’t be the only one. By dismissing things in this way, we are putting our future at risk. We are the voice of tomorrow. If we want to see real change done, we are the only ones who can do it. And besides, would you rather save a couple minutes of your time by ignoring this, or help bring more equality and opportunity into the workplace for your community? A bill like this not only helps current felons, but also those who may be incarcerated in the future. Think of who you could help in getting this act passed. Who knows, one day it could be you or a loved one trying to find a job under the burden of being convicted.
With increased opportunities to be able to get jobs, felons are less likely to fall back into old habits and able to integrate back into society more seamlessly. Jobs provide ex-prisoners with income, of course, but goes beyond that and provides healthy social interactions, identity, a sense of purpose and motivation which all help move forward and regain connectivity to the community around them. Texas is all about love, let’s show everyone some! Please give a moment of your time and reach the Texas Senators down below! Also, share this post so others can help push our state in the right directions.
U.S. Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224–3121 (A switchboard operator will connect you to the Texas Senate. Just tell them which State)
Ted Cruz: (202) 224–5922 / https://www.cruz.senate.gov/?p=form&id=16
John Cornyn: (972) 239–1310 / https://www.cornyn.senate.gov/contact
Template: (use this template and fill in blanks/choose whatever you want in the bold! or write your own.)
Dear Senator ________,
As a fellow Texan as well as counselor,activist,college student,business man/woman, etc who feels strongly about _______, I am writing to you about the lack of job opportunities for felons. I am writing to ask you to co-sponsor the Fair Chance Initiative and join many other states in making it a state-wide act.
The Fair Chance Initiative is important to me/our community/etc. In our state because ________. It will make a difference in our lives by _________. In addition, research shows that the top reason for people going back to prison after being released is unemployment and being overwhelmed by society upon integration.
I look forward to hearing from you!
Sincerely,
_________
