Investors Hangout: Over 150 executives, policy leaders, and justice advocates convened at the annual summit organized by the Responsible Business Initiative for Justice (RBIJ) to tackle the pivotal workforce challenges of today. In a climate marked by evolving labor demands, these leaders are pushing for justice-driven solutions that not only help individuals but enhance organizational success.

State of Oklahoma House of Representatives: Two measures reforming Oklahoma's fines and fees systems have been signed into law.

Gumptown Magazine: Governor Kay Ivey signed SB138 into law this week. Sponsored by Representative Parker Moore and Senator Rodger Smitherman, the bill breaks down workforce barriers for non-violent formerly incarcerated Alabamians.

Strive Birmingham: Alabama remains a top-ranked state for business, strengthened by our competitive workforce training programs, business-friendly policies, and vital public-private partnerships.

Boston Business Journal: To strengthen our workforce and economy, it’s time for our state to embrace ‘Clean Slate’ legislation.

The Washington Informer: Every year, thousands of people return home from prison to Washington, D.C., or are released from our local jail, eager to get jobs, reconnect with their communities and rebuild their lives.

Alabama Political Reporter: Our business-friendly policies, competitive workforce training programs, and vital public-private partnerships continue to fuel our success.

FedCommunities: Debt-related suspensions also keep people out of the workforce. Many jobs require a driver’s license. And driving may be the only way for some to get to work.

The Hustler Files: Guests Caz Walcott, Director of Inclusive Hiring at the Responsible Business Initiative for Justice (RBIJ), and Jon Feinman, Founder of InnerCity Weightlifting share the transformative power of inclusive hiring practices.

Delaware Business Times: Too many talented job seekers remain on the sidelines of our economy — and often not by choice, but due to gaps in opportunity. Although the U.S. economy generates tens of thousands of new jobs each month, there are simply not enough available workers to fill them.

“Thanks to the leadership of the legislature, advocates, and Governor DeWine, House Bill 29 removes these unnecessary barriers to employment and hiring — a significant win for business and communities,” said RBIJ CEO Maha Jweied.

As President-elect Donald J. Trump prepares to assume office in the new year, we hope his administration will consider the many opportunities that exist to advance greater fairness and justice across the country in partnership with the business community.

People Management: The stigma surrounding hiring individuals with criminal records often feels insurmountable, but Ken Oliver, a member of the Responsible Business Initiative for Justice (RBIJ), believes the root lies in misunderstanding. 

Delaware State Chamber of Commerce: The Responsible Business Initiative for Justice (RBIJ) and JPMorganChase announce the launch of the Delaware Equitable Hiring Initiative (DE EHI), an innovative multi-year pilot project to help strengthen Wilmington's workforce by empowering local employers to tap into overlooked talent from the city’s underserved communities.

SHRM: 'Opportunity youth’—disadvantaged young people who are neither in school nor in the workforce—are overcoming hardships and gaining employment.

Staffing Industry Analysts: The business case for hiring candidates with justice-impacted backgrounds is strong, CWS 3.0 previously reported.

NBC4 Ohio: Numerous Ohio employers are embracing a trend that helps job fill positions in a shrinking workforce, by hiring formerly incarcerated individuals.

Axios 1 big thing: CEO Maha Jweied discusses how businesses can advance second chance hiring and how RBIJ assists employers in their inclusive hiring journeys.

Ohio Capital Journal: A pair of Ohio Republican lawmakers are trying to make it easier to get non-violent criminal records sealed to help formerly incarcerated Ohioans get hired, but advocates say that’s not enough.  

Daily Herald: Pete Leonard, found of I Have a Bean, commends Illinois for becoming the first state to ban cash bail under the Pretrial Fairness Act and encourages other businesses to advocate for common sense policy reform in their communities.

HR Brew: This often untapped talent pool may offer HR the opportunity to fill open positions with eager and driven young talent.

The Columbus Dispatch: "Amid our ongoing labor shortage, it is more important than ever for our legislature to take action and allow employers to tap into this skilled, hard-working and dedicated talent pool," Phil Petrilli

Council on Criminal Justice: RBIJ CEO Maha Jweied reflects on her work on a pro bono juvenile death penalty case and how her early experiences, personal values, and faith led her to a career in public service.