Fair Chance Business Certification

Fair Chance Hiring is an incredibly impactful practice to take on, especially considering that one third of Americans have a criminal record. Here at the Southern Coalition for Social Justice, we believe that we are not the worst of our mistakes. Therefore, we recruit businesses and nonprofit organizations to create an inclusive hiring practice that selects candidates on their qualifications, rather than reject them for their past mistakes.

In order to become Fair Chance Business Certified, businesses must:

• Remove all questions about criminal records from the initial job application form.
• Delay asking questions about criminal records until the applicant is given a conditional offer.
• Give applicants a chance to see any background checks you run.

The Community Empowerment Fund (CEF) and the Southern Coalition for Social Justice (SCSJ) are in partnership to certify businesses in Orange County, NC and provide resources for fair chance employers. The Community Empowerment Fund (CEF) is a 501(c)3 organization in Orange County, NC that assists people who are experiencing or are at risk of homelessness to achieve financial independence and to access housing, employment, medical care, and other needed resources. CEF does outreach to local Orange County businesses, hosts educational events, and more to expand the Fair Chance business network in Orange County.

The certification is free and open to any small business in the South. Certified businesses receive a free window sticker, and resources for creating effective fair chance hiring policies.