Boston Business Journal: To strengthen our workforce and economy, it’s time for our state to embrace ‘Clean Slate’ legislation.

The Washington Informer: Every year, thousands of people return home from prison to Washington, D.C., or are released from our local jail, eager to get jobs, reconnect with their communities and rebuild their lives.

Alabama Political Reporter: Our business-friendly policies, competitive workforce training programs, and vital public-private partnerships continue to fuel our success.

FedCommunities: Debt-related suspensions also keep people out of the workforce. Many jobs require a driver’s license. And driving may be the only way for some to get to work.

Delaware Business Times: Too many talented job seekers remain on the sidelines of our economy — and often not by choice, but due to gaps in opportunity. Although the U.S. economy generates tens of thousands of new jobs each month, there are simply not enough available workers to fill them.

“Thanks to the leadership of the legislature, advocates, and Governor DeWine, House Bill 29 removes these unnecessary barriers to employment and hiring — a significant win for business and communities,” said RBIJ CEO Maha Jweied.

As President-elect Donald J. Trump prepares to assume office in the new year, we hope his administration will consider the many opportunities that exist to advance greater fairness and justice across the country in partnership with the business community.

People Management: The stigma surrounding hiring individuals with criminal records often feels insurmountable, but Ken Oliver, a member of the Responsible Business Initiative for Justice (RBIJ), believes the root lies in misunderstanding. 

Axios 1 big thing: CEO Maha Jweied discusses how businesses can advance second chance hiring and how RBIJ assists employers in their inclusive hiring journeys.

Ohio Capital Journal: A pair of Ohio Republican lawmakers are trying to make it easier to get non-violent criminal records sealed to help formerly incarcerated Ohioans get hired, but advocates say that’s not enough.  

Daily Herald: Pete Leonard, found of I Have a Bean, commends Illinois for becoming the first state to ban cash bail under the Pretrial Fairness Act and encourages other businesses to advocate for common sense policy reform in their communities.

HR Brew: This often untapped talent pool may offer HR the opportunity to fill open positions with eager and driven young talent.

Atlanta Journal-Constitution: A labor shortage offers a unique opportunity for employers and the formerly incarcerated.

Colorado Newsline: Professional restrictions prevent nearly 2 million people from entering the workforce.

St. Louis Post-Dispatch: The bills that pass through our state’s legislature will have a huge impact on Missourians across the state — and on my business.

Boston Globe: Massachusetts is lagging and should join other states that have enacted “clean slate” automated record-sealing laws.