Are you feeling discouraged in your search for a government job for felons? You are not alone. While the notion that everyone deserves a second chance is common, when it comes to employment, the tune of the song always changes. Never despair. With a little tenacity and hard work, you will be able to find a job and prove that you are reformed.
Looking for a job as a convicted felon can be a daunting task. With most employers conducting a through ground check on applicants, most felons are anxious about how their criminal history will be judged. However, you might be surprised to know that even as a convict, you can still get a well-paying job with the government. In addition, before applying for any job, you should perform a thorough search in order to know the one which you qualify to do.
In this guide, therefore, we look at some of the government jobs you can apply for even if you are a felony convict.
According to the statistics available at America’s criminal bureaus – FBI; show that over seventy million people are ex-felons. The number of ex-felons rises every day. They often get meaningful employment due to their criminal record.
Can a felon work for the government?
The answer is yes depending with the country of origin and the nature of the previous offense committed. The government of America grants ex-felons a second chance at life by offering them job opportunities. America’s ex-felons get job positions in the government sector, gainful work after serving prison time.
In general, America’s government plays a big part in making sure the ex-felons get maximum cooperation when seeking employment. This act of rewarding motivates employers who give incarcerated individuals a second chance. Eventually, the number of unemployed ex-felons decreases with time.
Most communities in the US are a home to programs that help ex-cons get jobs, thanks to the Second Chance Program in Chicago. They offer full time partnership and work opportunity to felons who are willing to take positions that involve servicing users in buses, cars or rails. In addition, you can as well sign up for Federal Bonding Program.
Employment debarments
Apart from rewarding employers, the government universally considers job applications of ex-felons through case-by-case evaluation. Whether an ex-felon lands a job opportunity or not is entirely dependent on the evaluation process. They are required to submit their proposals for employment within their area of residence. This facilitates the vetting process and their subsequent admission into a standard facility with good pay. The ex-felons most of the times are encouraged to apply in their area of residence as getting employment is easy. This is so because the residents are aware of their previous criminal record. Moreover, they are able to ascertain if they have truly reformed from their previous criminal habits.
Another difficult task ex-felons come across is meeting the job requirement due to lack of sufficient skills. Incarcerated individuals are encouraged to apply for skilled jobs or rather add a skill to their resume. This enables them to compete for government jobs posts for felons within their jurisdiction.
Casual jobs like janitors and cleaners in a government institution are not hard to find. Although skilled jobs like receptionists and drivers require ex-felons to go back to class briefly. As much, the government helps in admitting felons in their payroll; the list of unemployed ex-felons is longer than job opportunities.
What are the ban the box executive orders?
This refers to legislation passed by statues that permits all employers to interview ex-felons of their previous criminal record. Depending on the jurisdiction, the employers ask a series of questions to ex-offenders on their offense and time sentence. Some states withdraw that power from employers until when there is a job offer extension to a certain period or the parole officer intervenes.
The ban-the-box executive orders make it smooth for statewide employers to navigate through the hiring process with ease. Meeting the required demands of hiring an ex-felon is easy to meet. It is not an easy task to trust a person with a criminal record, but with the right approach, all settle in time.
Most of the time, they harshly judged by society. At times, they face stigma from society members thus making the reformation process difficult. It is not entirely true that a former criminal has not reformed completely. A criminal record does not warrant denial of a second chance at life most importantly employment. To be precisely getting them government jobs for felons is the sure way to make them have faith in the system.
Are FBI Applicant restrictions real?
The Bureau of investigations- Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) founded in 1908 controls the life of ex-felons after their jail time. With its headquarters located in Washington DC, at J. Edgar Hoover Building has the mandate to probe on ex-convicts lives and their probability of getting government jobs. Government jobs for felons take some time due to the vetting process by the parole officers and the employers’ side.
In most cases, ex-felons give up as the waiting process takes a lifetime. To get admission to financial institutions that pay well is not an easy task. This is so because the applicant restrictions for ex-felons are real. The rules to vet all ex-felons’ application based on their convictions and the outcome of their reformation process.
For starters, the applicant restriction for ex-felons is real and the qualifications determined by the government system in place. Different local government limit ex-felons to some job opportunities depending on the sentence time and the offense. The kind of offense committed plays a major role in the type of work one qualifies.
One of the recommendations is to apply a degree of rational in their employment decision-making process. All employers must apply their third instinct too in deciding on whether to employ an ex-felon or not. Not all ex-felons disappoint once employed, but some claim to have reformed while in real essence it is not entirely true.
Final Thoughts
A change of attitude, mindset and excellent control of once emotions is a necessity to one’s persona recovery and growth. As part of the journey to recover, the ex-felons need support from the community by giving them a second chance at life. This can only be possible if they feel loved and appreciated. By reducing the social barriers and offering them gainful skilled work gives them moral support therapy. The steps to recovery become bearable and eventually, the need to become responsible citizens becomes a reality.
However, getting a job from the government entirely depends on the governing system of that era, the offense committed by the ex-felon in addition to whether they show signs of reformation. As a felony convict, the first step to getting a job from the government is to display your skills and work towards getting something that you desire and love doing.