really love this idea. I know a lot of people with stupid felonies like DUIs and can't get employment! keep up the good work!
Launch HN: 70MillionJobs (YC S17) – Job board for people with criminal records
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Re: Launch HN: 70MillionJobs (YC S17) – Job board for people with criminal records
#502really love this idea. I know a lot of people with stupid felonies like DUIs and can't get employment! keep up the good work!
Re: Launch HN: 70MillionJobs (YC S17) – Job board for people with criminal records
#503Earlier quoted context omitted.
I want to believe that attitudes are changing and I do believe that more and more people are behind efforts to make it easier for people with a criminal history to find jobs. But I still think that most people are quite NIMBY about it. They'd love for it to be much easier for them to find jobs, but they're still uncomfortable being the ones actually working with them. Don't get me wrong...I think what you're doing is…
I'm curious about "changing attitudes". Why should I give an opportunity to someone who has gone out of their way to hurt other people over a similarly qualified person who doesn't view other human beings as objects to take advantage of for their own personal gain? Not sure I have all the answers but your concept of "the right thing to do" seems fairly unexamined.
At least in the US, their crime may well be something that doesn't obviously harm others (like possessing a small amount of marijuana for personal use, or consensual "sexting" among teens).
It might also make a difference if the crime was committed when they were very young, and they now clearly recognize that it was wrong and something they would not do again. I've never committed a crime or seriously harmed anyone, but there are things I did in my teens/early 20s that it find mortifying at 40.
Re: Launch HN: 70MillionJobs (YC S17) – Job board for people with criminal records
#504Earlier quoted context omitted.
I'm curious about "changing attitudes". Why should I give an opportunity to someone who has gone out of their way to hurt other people over a similarly qualified person who doesn't view other human beings as objects to take advantage of for their own personal gain? Not sure I have all the answers but your concept of "the right thing to do" seems fairly unexamined.
My personal feeling is that "the right thing to do" is to evaluate applicants without any regard to their criminal history. There should be no box to check on applications and background checks should be prohibited from returning an applicant's criminal record. A person's debt to society is supposed to be their prison sentence and that sentence shouldn't extend beyond their time in prison. If we're giving second chan…
I completely agree that this bias is unfair, and that a sentence served, is supposed to be payback to society and therefore your standing should be reset. However, in the real world, once you have "shi* on your shoe", it is not that simple to remove, because humanity is not fair, and therefore society is not fair. This relates to peoples self-generated image of other people.
Re: Launch HN: 70MillionJobs (YC S17) – Job board for people with criminal records
#505This is a great idea and I hope it does well.
From an economic standpoint, why IS it a problem? The lack of sense of safety could come with a discount that eventually evens out. I.E. a felon gets an offer with 30% discount, and after a year or so that he proves as normal as any other get his wages back. Not feasible with minimum wage jobs, and one could think this is really unfair, but its better than a straight no.
Re: Launch HN: 70MillionJobs (YC S17) – Job board for people with criminal records
#506Earlier quoted context omitted.
I just never checked the box. "Have you ever been convicted of a felony?" I would just leave it blank. I figured if anyone asked, then I'd humbly explain the circumstances and I could take my chances from there... Nobody ever asked, and I went about my life. Obviously YMMV.
The irony here is that the more honest a person is the fewer opportunities they will get. Putting this box on an application form selects for the exact opposite of its intention.
Never thought of this!
Very interesting.
Re: Launch HN: 70MillionJobs (YC S17) – Job board for people with criminal records
#507seems like a lot of what you'll need to do is on the employer education. please excuse my ignorance, I hope their not offensive, I'm just trying to help. 1. is there any extra liability for the employer if they knowingly hire someone formerly incarcerated and they commit a crime while working for them. 2. aren't some kind of tax credits for hiring formerly incarcerated incarcerated people. 3. is it only w2 or do you…
Actually, a federal bonding program has existed for decades, to indemnify employers making "at-risk" hires. Interestingly, on a very few claims have ever been filed. It's a myth that these folks will be criminals on the job. In fact, studies out of Harvard and U of Mass suggest that they actually can make better employees than those without records. There are indeed federal tax credits (Work Opportunity Tax Credits)…
Thanks for the clarifications.
- It's a myth that these folks will be criminals on the job.
I wasn't trying to imply they were, I was more thinking of a company getting dragged into a witch hunt. Regardless of the population there's always a bad apple just like there's a diamond.
Re: Launch HN: 70MillionJobs (YC S17) – Job board for people with criminal records
#508> So we created a "save haven" where all parties knew the score Does that mean that employers know what offenses were committed, and how long ago? Or does it just mean that they know that the candidate has been convicted of something , but figuring out whether that's a liability to the business or not needs to be discussed?
No, we don't inquire as to the nature of their crime(s). Aside from it opening a wasp nest's of legal issues, I personally believe that everyone deserves a second chance. (and certainly don't believe that I should stand in judgement of anyone). Ultimately, like an job board or HR resource, there's stuff an employer and prospective employee will have to hash out. My mission was/is to create an efficient marketplace th…
If you find that someone does not have any criminal history and is using your boards to apply for jobs, what action might your company take?
Re: Launch HN: 70MillionJobs (YC S17) – Job board for people with criminal records
#509Earlier quoted context omitted.
You are so right on all your comments. Soon we'll be re-doing the entire site. Perhaps we can talk in several weeks?
I'd add that framing the hiring decision as charity ("giving someone a second chance") could be improved. I'd go for more of a "diamond in the rough" angle. "Find talent everyone else is missing."
Agreed. Brilliant tagline.
Re: Launch HN: 70MillionJobs (YC S17) – Job board for people with criminal records
#510Who in their right mind would hire a criminal? Intellectually lowered need second chances, smart people think before they act in the first place. With 7 billion of people overcrowding this planet, we really need to start weeding the garbage out.