Fair Employment Opportunity for Candidate with Criminal Record

     You may encounter candidates with criminal records during recruitment. You might be wondering how to consider them as the ideal person for the job. You might also wonder whether or not they have the capabilities to work at the position they applied to.

    Job seeking for people who have served sentences has never been easy. The stigma of being a prisoner may label them as someone incapable of doing work and would only resort to doing crimes again. 

     Moreover, the long employment gap during the incarceration period is also hindering them from getting a job.

    However, according to Harvard Business Review, hiring candidates with a criminal record may help to reduce the recidivism rate. They would likely not commit a crime if they have a stable job. They also would want to have a normal life and provide end meets for their families.

     As HR, you don’t want to discriminate out of rejecting someone with a criminal record. All candidates, including those who have criminal records, should be given a fair chance. In this case, you should assess candidates carefully before making a hiring decision. 

     According to various sources, HR needs to have a hiring policy that complies with the indiscriminative law when considering candidates with criminal records. The candidates’ criminal record should not to be the only factor considered in deciding their capabilities. 

     Furthermore, an interview with candidates should be conducted to assess their skills. A fair interview will help to reduce any bias when appraising candidates with criminal records.

     HR should also assess the candidates’ charges thoroughly to make a fair decision. When evaluating the charges, HR can consider the nature of the offense, how long the sentence, possible impact on the candidate’s performance if they get the job. 

     You can also build a partnership with communities or organization that supports prisoner reintegration to society. These organizations have training and development programs for ex-prisoners and can connect you to suitable candidates. 

     Rangkul.org, Jeera Foundation, Yayasan Anugerah Insan Recidivist, and Rumah Karya Narapidana are several organizations in Indonesia that help prisoners to have a better chance of being employed. Several of them also offer job-seeking services for ex-prisoners.

     The Directorate General of Correctional Facilities also provides prisoners training and development programs. The aim is to make sure they have compatible skills and ready to find a job after being released. This program is also helping prisoners to reduce the skill gap.

     Besides, according to XcelHR, hiring candidates with criminal records may help the company’s employee retention because they are less likely to quit their job. They also have the same potential improvement as someone who has a clean record. 

     There will always be a risk when hiring people, even when hiring a candidate with a clean record. By conducting fair hiring, it helps your company create workplace diversity, inclusivity, and break the cycle of discrimination towards ex-prisoners.