Hiring That Ex-Felon
A recent library inquiry about programs available to assist employers who want to hire former convicts got me to call Elaine Kost from the state Department of Labor. She noted two programs that she described as underutilized: "The Federal Bonding Program (FBP) was created as a job placement tool to assist at-risk job seekers. The purpose of the program is to provide fidelity bonding at no cost to a business for the first six months of employment for hard-to-place job applicants." The term "hard to place is not limited to ex-cons. Sometimes, an employer will perform a credit check on a potential employee and will balk because of a low score; the FBP could be used for this purpose as well. "The The Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) is designed to promote the hiring of individuals who qualify as a member of a target group; individuals with barriers to employment. Federal tax credits are available for hiring the following groups under WOTC: A. Qualified recip