It is estimated that nearly 80 million people in the U.S. have a criminal record of some sort—over one-third of the adult population. Yet despite the growing need among U.S. employers for workers, applicants with criminal records often face huge obstacles to achieving gainful employment.
Companies are understandably concerned about the safety of their workers and customers as well as their own assets and public image. But today, many employers are finding that the best approach to hiring individuals with criminal backgrounds is not so different from the hiring approach they use for everyone else: to evaluate each candidate on his or her merits.