Dear friend,

We know that when businesses speak, people listen. That’s especially true during Second Chance Month, observed in the U.S. every April to spotlight the barriers faced by people with criminal records and the commonsense solutions that can help them thrive. The reality is that when employers advocate for and implement Second Chance Hiring, the entire workforce gets stronger — benefiting businesses, communities, and justice-impacted individuals alike.   

This Second Chance Month, we’re celebrating employers leading the way — and inviting more to explore this transformative hiring practice. Whether you’re a seasoned second-chance employer or just have an interest, I encourage you to read our article “6 Ways to Celebrate Second Chance Month with RBIJ.” 

No matter where you are on this journey, RBIJ is here to help. From breaking down internal hiring barriers to advocating for policy change, we’re ready to support your next steps. 

The best way to start? Join us at our annual Workforce & Justice Summit in Seattle, May 13–14, 2025 — a great opportunity to connect with other second-chance employers, policy experts, and justice advocates. 

Let's make justice our business, 

Maha Jweied

CEO

CELEBRATING SECOND CHANCE MONTH

6 Ways to Celebrate Second Chance Month with RBIJ

April is Second Chance Month! Celebrate by learning more about Second Chance Hiring — an innovative hiring strategy that elevates workforces and helps workers with criminal records rebuild their lives. Discover six ways to get involved this month. 

Justice Champion Spotlight: JBM Packaging and Ohio Penal Industries

When it comes to Second Chance Hiring, businesses don’t have to go it alone. JBM Packaging, a longtime second-chance employer, teamed up with Ohio Penal Industries (OPI), a government agency, to create a new, innovative program that trains incarcerated Ohioans for successful careers post-release. Hear from JBM’s Amanda Hall and OPI's Ann King about what they’ve learned from going above and beyond to provide second chances for justice-impacted Ohioans. 

🎧 RBIJ Joins the Conversation on Second Chance Month — Get Ready to Tune In!  

This April, RBIJ is hitting the airwaves to spotlight the power of hiring individuals with criminal records. On April 5, RBIJ’s Director of Inclusive Hiring, Caz Walcott, joins Jon Feinman, Founder and CEO of the second-chance employer InnerCity Weightlifting on The Hustler Files, to explore the business and human case for Second Chance Hiring. Meanwhile, today, Inclusive Hiring Manager Taja Hereford appears on On the Recyard: Women’s Prison Podcast for a live discussion on how businesses are breaking down employment barriers.  

Don't Miss These Second Chance Month Events!

RBIJ is hosting or speaking at the following events this April. We hope to see you there! Interested in more Second Chance Month events? Visit the RBIJ events page for more.

National Returning Citizens Conference [April 10-11 | Columbus, OH]

RBIJ’s Senior Manager for Impact & Belonging, Camieka Woodhouse-Willis, will join Brian Rubin from Education Design Lab to discuss how businesses can rethink hiring and career pathways for individuals impacted by the justice system and those at risk of justice involvement. Learn more and register.  

Breaking Barriers: The Fight for Fair Occupational Licensure [April 23 | Virtual]

RBIJ's Director of Policy & Advocacy, Maggie O’Donnell, will join our partners at Jobs for the Future for a discussion on how outdated occupational licensing laws create barriers to employment for skilled workers with criminal records. Register here.

Talent Beyond Barriers: A Business Exchange on Second Chance Hiring [April 29 | Washington, D.C.]

Join RBIJ, the Second Chance Hiring Alliance, and the Greater Washington DC Black Chamber of Commerce for an event where local DC employers can learn about Second Chance Hiring, network with peers, and get one-on-one coaching to put these strategies into action. Register here.

Don’t Miss Hearing from These Organizations at the 2025 Workforce & Justice Summit 

RBIJ is gearing up for our #WJSummit25! Business leaders from across the U.S. are taking the stage in Seattle from May 13-14. Session topics will include "Advancing Justice Through Public Policy," "Advancing Justice Through Corporate Policy," and "Adapting Without Compromise: Upholding Core Values in a Changing Business Landscape." Read the agenda details. 

POLICY & ADVOCACY UPDATES

Businesses Help Advance Occupational Licensing Reform in Alabama, Georgia, and Virginia

Nearly one in five workers in the U.S. are required to obtain an occupational license. Yet outdated laws unnecessarily restrict individuals with old criminal records from doing so — keeping potential employees out of the workforce and preventing willing employers from hiring them.  
 
Fortunately, commonsense occupational licensing reform is advancing in multiple states and RBIJ is actively coordinating business support.  

• In Alabama, proposed bills are moving through the legislature, heading through the House and Senate committee for review. 

• Georgia’s occupational licensing bill was voted out favorably in the state Senate and crossed over to the House.  

• In March, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin signed SB 826 into law, which ensures that justice-impacted individuals are not denied a license solely due to a past conviction unless it directly relates to the profession. RBIJ was proud to submit a letter to the Governor in support of the bill and celebrates this win for businesses and communities alike. 

If you're a local business leader interested in advocating for occupational licensing reform, please reach out! Alabama businesses can contact morgan@rbij.org, and Georgia businesses can contact kimia@rbij.org. 

INCLUSIVE HIRING UPDATES

Nine Delaware Businesses Come Together for Employer Training  

Our employer partners for the Delaware Equitable Hiring Initiative (DE EHI) convened in Wilmington to kickoff ongoing training on hiring “overlooked talent” — people who are unnecessarily screened out in the application process due to outdated hiring systems or lack of traditional qualifications, including justice-impacted talent. The employers engaged in discussion and interactive group activities, led by our friends at Jobs for the Future, to begin exploring strategies to eliminate hiring barriers, shrink skills gaps, and strengthen their workforce. To learn more about the project, visit our NEW website at hiredelaware.org! 

RBIJ and The Longford Trust Lead Roundtable with UK Employers on Expanding Opportunities for Justice-Impacted Youth 

RBIJ recently hosted a roundtable with renowned UK-based charity The Longford Trust at DLA Piper’s London offices, bringing together leading businesses committed to Fair Chance Hiring. Speakers Peter Stanford, Roxanne Foster, and Malechi Hunte from The Longford Trust shared details about their scholarship program for justice-impacted young people, which provides them with opportunities to pursue higher education and, ultimately, stable careers. Attendees included representatives from Sainsbury’s, Virgin, Nomura, and the Saracens Foundation.  

RBIJ is an independent nonprofit organization. Support from donations helps fund our work to improve the criminal justice system.