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Help Make Think Outside the Box a Reality in Eugene
You can take action on this alert by reading the information below and following the
directions at the bottom.
Lane County Residents: Encourage the City of Eugene to remove question regarding criminal history from initial job application form
Formerly incarcerated people need to overcome stigma, stereotypes and a range of policies that undermine their ability to become successful and productive citizens. Securing stable employment is one of the primary factors in making a successful transition back into the community, and there are fairly simple steps that government bodies can take to provide meaningful support.
In the past few years, major U.S. cities such as Boston, San Francisco, Seattle, Minneapolis, as well as Multnomah County, Oregon have changed their hiring policies and practices to reduce the barriers to hiring qualified people with felony convictions. These government bodies recognize that supporting the employment of qualified people with conviction histories helps rebuild lives, reduce recidivism, and strengthen community.
Asking about conviction history on initial job applications is unnecessary and discourages qualified people from applying. This practice reduces the city's pool of qualified candidates and reinforces the notion that people with conviction histories are unemployable, a seriously detrimental message.
The City of Eugene needs to catch up with where the rest of the country is heading. If the question needs to be asked, it should be asked later in the process when people have an opportunity to provide the necessary background and context about the relevancy of their conviction history and what they have done to positively transform their lives. The city should be finding ways to encourage the employment of people with conviction histories and support re-entry success.
We just met with Eugene City Manager John Ruiz to ask for his support of our "Think Outside the Box" Campaign. He seems undecided. The sooner he hears from you, the more impact your message will have.
Sending an email to the city manager could make the difference in the success of this campaign. WE STRONGLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO PERSONALIZE THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE BEFORE SENDING IT. The power of the personal story is incredibly effective.
Your message will be sent to each of the following targets:
Mr. John Ruiz
A sample message appears below, which you may edit before sending.
Think Outside the Box
Dear Mr. Ruiz,
I live in Lane County and I am writing to ask you to please remove the question "Have you ever been convicted of a felony?" from the City of Eugene's initial job application forms as urged by the "Think Outside the Box" Campaign being presented by Partnership for Safety and Justice. Asking the question early in the process discourages people from applying for employment and provides a significant employment barrier.
This practice reduces the city's pool of qualified candidates and reinforces the notion that people with conviction histories are unemployable, a seriously detrimental message. There are already laws and policies in place that prevent people with specific conviction histories from working in certain jobs with vulnerable populations.
I am concerned about the thousands of people returning from prisons and jails to our communities each year. People with prior convictions should not continue to be punished after having served their sentences. The opportunity for a fresh start is in all of our best interest and the interest of public safety. Access to living wage employment is critical to successful reentry.
The following government bodies around the country have put in place policies and practices that equal or exceed what we are asking of the City of Eugene: Boston, Seattle, San Francisco, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Multnomah County (OR) and others. Additionally, both the University of Oregon and Lane County have employment practices that are more thoughtful in their consideration of persons with conviction histories and do not include the question on their initial job application forms.
The City of Eugene needs to catch up with where the rest of the country is heading. Modifying the city's application process by asking for conviction history later in the hiring process is a simple, no-cost way to make the city's process more open and fair. It sends a strong message to other municipalities, as well as the private sector, that the City of Eugene supports the successful reintegration of people returning from prisons and jails.
I support the effort to remove the question about prior convictions from the city's initial job application form and urge you implement this change.
Sincerely, Your name and address here
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This Action Alert Campaign is Closed.
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