New site aims to help those with criminal history get back to work
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (WBRC) - Elected leaders and workforce development in west Alabama are uniting to give more job opportunities to a group that often finds it harder to get hired than most – those with arrests or convictions.
The joint effort between West Alabama Works, the “Just Trust,” and the Tuscaloosa County Commission seeks to increase job opportunities or people with criminal histories.
BuildingHopeAL.com was launched earlier this week and gives people who have had trouble with the law a second chance through a good job.
West Alabama Works says Alabama has the sixth highest rate of incarceration in the country. Because of that, nearly 300,000 people in the state have a felony conviction.
The unemployment rate for people in that group is over 27 percent.
Donny Jones with West Alabama works says there are dozens of companies willing to hire those people that can be found on this new web portal.
“It really helps people who have been justice impacted,” Jones said. “So anyone who has had a felony or a past issue with the justice system, this is a site that they can go on and every job that is posted on that site will actually hire someone that’s been impacted by the judicial system.”
Jones added that more than 83 companies have come on board to say if someone has made a past mistake, they’ll take a chance on that person.
The salary range for jobs on BuildingHopeAL.com range between $15 to $30 per hour.
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