A partnership between the operators of an online job board that helps former inmates find work and the mayor’s office began Monday.
Most of the applicants enrolled during the three-month pilot period involving 70MillionJobs.com will be affiliated with community-based organizations and have received job readiness training.
“People who have served time and are returning home deserve an opportunity to make a fresh start, prove themselves in the workforce, and earn a good living for themselves and their families,” Mayor Eric Garcetti said.
“This platform will help transform lives by opening up connections to employers who are willing to give qualified applicants a second chance.”
A recent study found 80 percent of Los Angeles employers are unwilling to hire people who have been incarcerated, according to the mayor’s office.
“Unemployment and recidivism are huge challenges that ruin lives, families and cities like Los Angeles,” said Richard Bronson, co-founder and CEO of 70MillionJobs.com.
“This pilot program represents an effective partnership of government, nonprofit and for-profit businesses, committed to short circuit the pernicious cycle of recidivism.”
