People who have been convicted of felonies often experience difficulty in finding gainful employment upon release from prison. Fortunately, multiple resources are available to help.

Local Resources

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Parole officers can be helpful in providing leads to employment opportunities. States have received grants from the federal government for use in assisting newly released prisoners with job placement.

Online Programs

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The National H.I.R.E. Network seeks to help ex-felons find jobs; membership is free. Hard2Hire, another free program, matches job seekers to employers and includes a job search utility. Felony Guide, a site that publishes a wide range of felony-related information, lists the contact information of companies that are willing to hire ex-felons.

Entrepreneurship

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Ex-felons may get business licenses and apply for loans and grants to start businesses. If another ex-felon were hired, the business would be eligible for a Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC). A WOTC provides incentive to a business, by lowering its federal tax obligation, to hire people who face challenges in securing employment, including ex-felons.