Checkr, a background check company, is launching an apprenticeship program called Catalyst to support the hiring and training of workers with criminal records. according to a November 12 announcement.
Employers can take part in a 2025 cohort, which will provide 12 months of on-the-job training and mentoring. To support this, Checkr will fund two learning cohorts over the next two years.
“Over the past few years at Checkr, we’ve seen firsthand how fair opportunity hiring, the practice of considering and hiring people with records, leads to a stronger business, economy and community,” the company said.
Over the past year, Checkr piloted a 12-month paid apprenticeship program across a range of industries. Based on this experience, the company will expand the program to more employers.
Companies participating in the 2025 cohort can benefit by implementing or improving their fair opportunity hiring practices, tapping into a talent pool of motivated but often underutilized workers, creating a more diverse workforce, and offsetting costs with assistance financial of Checkr.
Checkr will also partner with the San Francisco Office of Economic and Workforce Development’s TechSF, which prepares workers for tech careers with free career paths and skills-based training, as well as The Last Mile, which provides education and training as part of an employment incarceration program.
For effective second-chance hiring, employers can use inclusive HR practices and work with community partners focused on formerly incarcerated people, experts told HR Dive. Recognizing biases and looking beyond traditional background checks can also help.
During second-chance job interviews, companies should practice empathy and consider the right questions to askexperts said during a SHRM conference session. Potential workers might face barriers related to transportation or childcare, for example.
Direct incentives could help employers consider workers with criminal records and better implement second-chance hiring, according to a study by University at Albany researchers. In particular, a $2,400 tax credit, $25,000 loss insurance, and rehabilitation certificates appeared to be the most beneficial and increased hiring managers’ willingness to hire applicants with backgrounds.
