Direct incentives may boost hiring managers’ willingness to employ individuals with criminal convictions

Millions of people in the United States have a criminal conviction and are searching for work. But most employers are reluctant to hire people with records, especially those with felony convictions, a disproportionate share of whom are people of color. In a new study, researchers sought to determine whether government-provided incentives could reduce employers’ reluctance to hire record holders. They found that a tax credit and insurance against losses boosted hiring managers’ willingness to hire applicants with prior records.

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