Elliot Richardson's testimonial coming soon
[ Elliot Richardson's testimonial coming soon. ]
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Elliot Richardson
Co-Founder & President, Small Business Advocacy Council
Building Bridges is a 90-day planning initiative designed to develop and prepare a scalable employer-engagement model that advances fair chance hiring among North Lawndale businesses. The project integrates targeted employer outreach, curriculum development, and cohort design to build a pipeline of businesses ready to hire justice-impacted individuals and join future implementation cohorts.
Businesses are facing an array of challenges which can impact their decisions to hire and expand. Factor in the cost of onboarding and potential turnover, and scalable businesses may think twice about increasing their workforce.
However, there is an overlooked group of potential employees that businesses can hire and onboard in a more affordable way. Justice-impacted individuals can provide businesses with reliable, dedicated workers that can help them scale and thrive.
A justice-impacted individual is someone who has been directly affected by the criminal legal system — including people who have been arrested, charged, convicted, or incarcerated. The term also includes "returning citizens" who are reentering their communities and the workforce after a period of incarceration.
The data is clear: managers and HR professionals who have worked with justice-impacted employees overwhelmingly report a positive experience.
of managers who have worked with a formerly incarcerated employee report a good or excellent experience.
lower turnover than employees without a criminal record.
saved per justice-impacted employee each year in re-hiring costs
Stable employment is widely considered the single most impactful mechanism for reducing recidivism.
HR leaders consistently rate justice-impacted employees as a beneficial addition to the workplace.
Justice-impacted employees are no more likely to be fired than other workers — and they are less likely to quit.
Stable employment is widely considered the single most impactful mechanism for reducing recidivism.
Significant state and federal tax credits are available to businesses that hire formerly incarcerated and justice-impacted individuals.
Businesses can claim a state income tax credit equal to 15% of the qualified wages paid to eligible returning citizens, up to a maximum of $7,500 per employee per year. The credit applies to new hires who were convicted of a crime and served a period of incarceration in an adult corrections facility within five years of their hiring date.
Businesses can earn federal tax credits of up to $2,400 for hiring individuals previously convicted of a felony if the employee was hired within one year of their conviction or release from prison. If the employee is also a long-term recipient of public assistance, the business can earn up to $9,000 over a two-year period.
Tax credit amounts and eligibility rules can change. Figures shown are for general guidance only — confirm current details and your eligibility with a qualified tax professional and the Illinois Department of Revenue / IRS before claiming.
Hiring justice-impacted individuals is both a business opportunity and will benefit the North Lawndale community. The typical justice-impacted employee is a loyal worker who exceeds their employer’s standards.
By hiring justice-impacted individuals, businesses will unlock a new pool of local talent and will create a work environment centered on commitment.
Dr. Bria Hoosier began her journey in one of Chicago's most under-resourced neighborhoods, where she experienced firsthand both the challenges of poverty and the transformative power of opportunity.
That experience fuels her mission: building sustainable pathways into the workforce for talented people too often overlooked by traditional hiring. She has a proven track record of helping major organizations develop and elevate fair chance hiring and workforce development programs. Scroll down for her video!
Hear why Chicago's business and community leaders champion hiring justice-impacted individuals.
[ Elliot Richardson's testimonial coming soon. ]
Neli Vazquez Rowland, Chicago civic and community leader.
[ Add this testimonial — in their own words. ]
Partner with the Steans Family Foundation-funded Building Bridges initiative and the Small Business Advocacy Council to tap into a dedicated workforce, claim valuable tax credits, expand equal access to employment opportunities, and invest in the future of the North Lawndale community.