Every year, thousands of Philadelphians return to society after incarceration. These returning citizens often face difficulty building new lives, even after they’ve paid their debt to society.

What the program is

That’s exactly why the Fair Chance Hiring Initiative exists.

The program, launched in 2017, reimburses local employers who hire returning citizens. It’s simple, too.

How the program works

Qualifying employees must work a minimum of 21 hours per week earning at least $12.20 per hour. The City then gives the business a $5 per hour reimbursement for each qualified position, up to 40 hours per week, for a total of 1,000 hours per year.

Quaker City Coffee founders Zach Rogers and Bob Logue say the program’s simplicity is exactly why it’s so effective — and why their company participates.

“As a small business, the Fair Chance Hiring Initiative is much more beneficial to us than something like a tax credit,” they say. “This program is much simpler to understand and execute, provides funds much more quickly, and ultimately helps the business grow more aggressively.”

Why the program makes a difference

Their company is part of a growing trend nationwide of socially-conscious businesses partnering with communities and governments to strengthen cities.

“In today’s world, businesses cannot afford not to be involved in their communities creating positive social change,” Rogers and Logue explain. “Research has proven that people, especially people under the age of 35, want to live in communities where business is done locally and with a focus on community.”

With about 300,000 Philadelphians having had some sort of contact with the criminal justice system, including incarceration, opportunities for returning citizens are important for progress for everyone — and in every neighborhood.

How the program aligns with the Kenney Administration’s criminal justice reforms

The Fair Chance Hiring Initiative supports the Kenney Administration’s broader criminal justice reform efforts.

The Kenney Administration has already decriminalized minor offenses, routed low level offenders to diversionary and community programs, and safely reduced Philadelphia’s jail population by 35% since July 2015.

And, in April 2018, Mayor Kenney announced closure of the House of the Correction — without a need to build a new facility.

Even amid these reforms, stigma persists. That’s exactly why the City is engaging businesses to ensure returning citizens get a fair shot at success after they’ve served their time.

“Unfortunately, there is still a significant stigma against hiring returning citizens. In a country that claims to be the land of second chances, we still have so much work to do to honor that claim,” they add. “The best way to break the cycle of recidivism is to create stability in a person’s life, and often that starts with access to dignified work.”

If enough businesses and employers see that investing in returning citizens is good for their communities and their revenues, it’s likely that even more will begin to offer such opportunities.

It’s not just about what’s good for business, though. For businesses participating in Fair Chance Hiring Initiative, it’s about doing what’s right.

“It’s the right thing to do,” say Quaker City Coffee founders Zach Rogers and Bob Logue, “and, at the end of the day, it benefits the bottom line as customers want to do with business good, local businesses that treat their employees right.”