Driving an Equitable and Inclusive Economy

Jimmie:

I always wanted more out of life, but being in and out of jail for a majority of my life, I didn't have the opportunities. My name is Jimmie Williams. I'm the owner of Urban Roots Inc. A landscaping company based here in the south side of Chicago.

Dorine:

My name is Dorine Poole and I'm from Chicago, born and raised.  I work for New Covenant Community Development Center.

Emmett:

My name is Emmett Hasey. I'm a car servicer at the Chicago Transit Authority.

Eddie:

My name is Eddie Bocanegra. I'm the senior director for Heartland Alliance. So one of the number one barriers that I faced upon my release from prison was simply finding a job.

Heather:

Too often, even after people have paid their debt to society, they're still held back and punished from pursuing employment, housing and other key supports to succeeding in this economy. My name is Heather Higginbottom and I'm the President of the JPMorgan Chase PolicyCenter.

Having a criminal record is a big barrier to getting a job. Having to disclose that record can really reduce the number of callbacks that a potential employee may get.

Eddie:

If I was able to remove my background, a case that I committed when I was 18 years old, that happened almost 30 years ago. Doesn't matter if it's 50 years from now, I will always be looked at for that mistake.

Dorine:

And that's what stops a lot of us from even walking into the door trying to get help or trying to get a job, because we don't want to feel embarrassed or put down. We're parents, we're brothers, we're sisters, we're mothers, I'm someone's daughter. I'm not an ex-felon first. I'm a person first.

Emmet:

When they look on your application and they see that, that's the first red flag. “I can’t let them work here. Once a criminal, always a criminal." That's not true.

Graphics on wall: Job application with felony question box

Heather:

J.P Morgan Chase eliminated the checkbox on an initial employment application that requires disclosure of a criminal record. It's really important because we're missing out on a huge talent pool. So there's been a movement among employers, there's been support for legislation to eliminate that checkbox.

Graphics: Ban the Box

Jimmie:

I'm in a position where I make sure that we hire individuals that, like myself, who have been through different circumstances and trying to change their life because you have to give it, you have to allow an individual the opportunity to show that they have changed.

Heather:

We know that one in three American adults has a criminal record, and that's about 70 million people. About 25 to 30 million of them have crimes that are eligible to be expunged, but haven't done so, and that's because the process is so difficult to navigate.

Graphics:

Expunge:  to erase or remove a criminal record .

Dorine:

I'm thinking to myself ‘if I can't get this expunged, now what is my life going to be like? It dawned on me that I had a felony that is still with me maybe now 10 years later.

Heather:

The Federal Clean Slate Act is before Congress, it's bipartisan legislation that J.P Morgan is fully supportive of, and it would ensure that for federal crimes, if it's eligible for expungement, let's make that process easier. Let's make it accessible, and let's make it impactful.

Graphics: Federal Clean Slate Act:

Bipartisan legislation to make expungement easier by establishing new procedures to seal arrest records for nonviolent offenses. Currently, only 11 states have automatic expungement laws.

Dorine:

We need more organizations in our community to reach out and let us know that they're here and they want to help.

Eddie:

Second chance programs really allow a person to continue to build their skill sets so they can be more marketable within the workforce. They've identified companies or organizations that are willing to hire people with backgrounds.

Emmett:

They start working on your application, they start doing mock interviews, and they try to find out areas that you need work in.

Heather:

The Second Chance Business Coalition, which JPMorgan Chase is the co-chair of,  brings together companies from across the American economy who are committed to doing more second chance hiring.

Graphics: Second Chance Business Coalition

The Second Chance Business Coalition represents 30 large employers across industries committed to expanding second chance hiring.

Jimmie:

I'm actually honored to be in a position where I can speak up and be a voice for the individuals that are voiceless.  People in the corporate world that have made mistakes. They were given the opportunity to come back and change their life. Give me an opportunity to prove myself and show you and the world that I can do this work.

Heather:

It’s good for business, it's good for the communities we work in, and it's good for our economy. At JPMorgan Chase, we really believe that we're only as strong as the communities we serve.

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Learn more about how JPMorgan Chase is advocating for an inclusive workplace.

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