Employment clinic offers help to ex-offenders

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

The Community Initiative to Reduce Violence, coordinated by Guy Burney, will sponsor a Certification for Qualification of Employment Clinic from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at Oak Hill Collaborative, 507 Oak Hill Ave.

The event is in collaboration with Home for Good Re-Entry Resource Referral Center, Oak Hill Collaborative and United Returning Citizens.

Senate Bill 337 created the CQE to relieve, on a limited basis, potential liability to employers for negligent hiring and to provide relief from collateral sanctions imposed by law to ex-offenders (both those individuals who have previous felony and/or misdemeanor convictions).

The certificate lifts the automatic collateral sanctions that prevent ex-offenders from standing before more than 730 Ohio licensing boards. It also allows an employer to consider, on a case-by-case basis, whether it is appropriate to grant or deny a job opportunity, without the fear of being held liable for negligent hiring.

All candidates who obtain a CQE increase their opportunities to be viewed on a case-by-case basis in the employment field. Ultimately, it assists with removal of barriers to employment or licensing for both people with misdemeanor and felony records.

If a person has a misdemeanor, he or she can apply for a CQE six months after his or her sentence (including supervision) is completed. If a person has a felony record, he or she can apply for a CQE one year after his or her sentence (including supervision) is completed. All convictions must have been in Ohio only.

No appointment is necessary to attend this clinic, and there is no cost at the time of applying for the petition.

To expedite the process, participants should provide a copy of employment history (including addresses and phone numbers), three references from family members, including addresses and phone numbers, and three references from nonfamily members, including addresses and phone numbers.

For information or to register, call C.I.R.V. at 330-742-8779, Home for Good Re-Entry Resource Referral Center at 330-743-3700, Oak Hill Collaborative at 330-518-5884 or United Returning Citizens at 330-809-4710.