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Meeting held for employers to learn more about hiring ex-offenders

Changes to state law have made it easier for ex-offenders to receive employment. Friday over 60 employers and job placement groups meant at Owens Community College to learn about new hiring procedures for those with a criminal record.

TOLEDO, OH (Toledo News Now) - Changes to state law have made it easier for ex-offenders to receive employment. Friday over 60 employers and job placement groups met at Owens Community College to learn about new hiring procedures for those with a criminal record.

The training focused on Certificates of Qualification for Employment. After being released from a corrections institute, an ex-offender must petition for a CQE to be able to apply for a job. The certificate then makes what used to be mandatory exclusion for those with a criminal record "discretionary information."

Friday, employers learned how to use the CQE to gain immunity from neglectful hiring claims brought against them. The certificates make it easier for ex-offenders to get a job from both ends of the process. C. Thomas McCarter of Criminal Justice Coordinating Council says this is invaluable to people trying to restart their lives.

"Especially for someone coming back, who has so many barriers to begin with, if you can just take away a few of those stones from that wall they have to hurdle," said McCarter. "This is an important tool and it makes all the difference in the world."

For more information, meetings are held on the first Wednesday of the month at 11 a.m. by 30 service providers at One Government Center for both ex-offenders and employers.

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