The Department of Labor has identified and funded many local organizations that have a roster of formerly incarcerated individuals who are looking for employment. They have been pre-screened and trained to meet the labor market demands of the areas in which they reside.
American Jobs Centers may also have registries of individuals who have received skills and educational assessments, job readiness training, soft skills training, and vocational skills training and are ready to work.
Visit the American Job Center Finder to locate the closest facility in your community. Also go to the National Criminal Justice Initiatives Map to find grant programs in your community that work with justice-involved individuals.
A variety of Federal agencies—including the US Department of Labor (DOL), Department of Justice, and the Department of Education—provide grants to states and local communities that are designed to help formerly-incarcerated individuals to successfully transition back into the workforce. Locate the grantees in your community by visiting Go!
Additionally, the US Department of Labor funds local American Job Centers—designed to provide a full range of assistance to employers and job seekers under one roof. The centers offer career counseling, skills assessments, job listings, and other employment-related services including job readiness training. Centers vary from state to state, or even from town to town, based on the labor market’s needs in their locale. Your local American Job Center may be called a:
- One-Stop Career Center
- Workforce Center
- Workforce Services
- CareerLink
There are approximately 3000 American Job Centers located in all 50 states and Puerto Rico (DOL, The Public Workforce System). According to the DOL, 20 million individuals tap into existing resources each year, and so can you! Each Center is equipped with a business services division that can help you with your recruitment and staffing needs. Click on the Local Help button on this page to find the closest American Job Center near you.
Remember that the staffing services offered to employers are at no cost to you!