February 15, 2012 1:32 PM
Finding work in a shaky Canadian economy is one thing, but what's it like to hunt for a stable job as an ex-convict?
The RCMP says about 4.2 million adults living in Canada (or roughly one in 10 people) now have a criminal record.
Justice Canada estimates that 600,000 Canadians have criminal records for marijuana possession - a minor offence which, even if committed once, could dog a prospective employee for the rest of his or her life.
Aside from the black mark a criminal past might bring against your hiring prospects, a former offender keen to start fresh with an honest career path will likely run up against a suite of other obstacles.
If working in the financial services industry was a goal, for example, that's probably off limits due to common restrictive corporate policies requiring employees to be bondable.
And even if you could afford the new steeper pardon fees, aced your job interview, and cleared background screening, a history of debt may pull you out of the running after a standard employee credit check.
Redemption Inc. has recognized the hurdles ex-offenders face in getting hired once out of prison. We've outlined seven of those challenges below and we will be publishing a deeper look at each one biweekly for the next few weeks.
