Forum on hiring former criminals at Sunrise Banks

Twin Cities RISE, which trains low-income adults for employment, has developed the "Minnesota Employers' Fair Chance Hiring Guide" to support efforts to recruit, hire, train and retain job seekers with criminal records.
The guide will be discussed at a public forum on April 26 at Sunrise Bank in St. Paul.
The program will include a panel discussion hosted by Commissioner Kevin Lindsey of the Minnesota Department of Human Rights.
"Minnesota is facing a historic labor shortage," said RISE CEO Tom Streitz. "Yet, many Minnesota residents and potential workers remain unemployed or underemployed due to a past criminal conviction, despite having served their time and wanting to be a productive member of our community. The Minnesota Fair Chance Employers' Guide provides a clear path for Minnesota corporations and businesses to hire those with criminal convictions in their past. It is a practical how-to guide that dispels the myths…
"By learning how to evaluate such applicants, employers can increase their supply of talented employees, meet their legal obligations, and improve their communities."
In 2014, Minnesota implemented the "ban the box" law, designed to make it easier for former criminals to get work.
"What ban the box did not do was provide employers with tools to properly guide them through approaching this topic differently during their hiring process," said Jacquelyn Carpenter, business development manager at R!SE. "This guide will provide that second step and address changing the hiring strategies that hinder employers and community members."
The guide was developed in partnership with Root & Rebound, a workforce organization in California. Minnesota is now the third state to produce this guide as a resource for employers.
Registration for the free April 26 event is required at: https://fair-chance-mn.eventbrite.com.
More information: www.twincitiesrise.org