Connecticut may have discovered a way to ensure that those with criminal records can get hired if they possess the necessary experience for the position.

The Connecticut Department of Labor announced the extension of a previously existing program that implemented “hiring insurance” for businesses willing to offer jobs to veterans. The program will now expand to employers who are willing to hire people with past criminal records by providing employers the opportunity to obtain bonds from the state at no cost. The bonds are, in a sense, insurance policies for those who are willing to hire ex-criminals in the event that any misdeeds or liabilities came to fruition. The goal of the expansion is to make it easier for employers to hire people with past criminal records and therefore reduce recidivism.

Under Connecticut’s Fidelity Bonding Program, bonds for up to $25,000 will be available to cover losses ranging from larceny to embezzlement, and more. The bonds will only apply for the first six months an ex-con is with the company. They are meant to give ex-cons a fair chance—not to automatically assume they will cause harm within the business. Once employers notice that most ex-cons blend right in with other employees and cause no trouble, real change will happen.

Getting a job after being released from prison can be extremely challenging. This Connecticut program will make it easier for those with criminal records to obtain jobs, keep those jobs, and stay out of prison. As of now, it is estimated that 45 percent of individuals who are released from jail in Connecticut end up right back in the system. Reducing the rates of recidivism in the state seems to be the real long-term goal of this employer insurance program. Employers will hire more people with criminal records because they are insured—the hope is that it will begin to gradually shift societal norms and cause employers to see people with criminal records in a new light. Staying occupied with work and finding yourself easily reintegrating back into society is a recipe to reduce recidivism.

Although the employment insurance program run by the DOL is a great thing, it doesn’t directly influence those in other states who are battling their criminal records. At Easy Expunctions, we work directly with you in identifying qualifying charges to be expunged with one of our affordable record clearing packages. Make sure to visit www.easyexpunctions.com and receive a free record check to get you started. Knowing exactly what’s on your record is the first step in wiping it clean and securing a better life.