Employment Help for Florida’s Convicted Felons

If you or someone you know is a convicted felon, you know how hard it can be to get a job.  Well, lucky for you there is a job fair being held in Riviera Beach today, October 13, 2011.  According to the report on the website for CBS 12, Riviera Beach Mayor Thomas Masters states that major employers like Marriott will be there and are committed to hiring people with a criminal past.  I have previously posted on the issue of reintegrating convicted felons into the workforce.  It’s great to see that efforts are being made by local officials.

For those convicted felons who aren’t able to attend the job fair and still need help resolving employment issues, you may want to look into getting your civil rights restored.  Not only will restoring your civil rights put you back on the path to being a productive, valued member of your community, but it will increase your employment opportunities as well.   To restore your civil rights, you’ll basically need to file the correct application and supporting documents with Florida’s Office of Executive Clemency.  In order to be eligible for restoration, you’ll need to have completed all aspects of your criminal sentence, including all conditions of probation and restitution, and be crime-free and arrest-free for a period of either 5 or 7 years, depending on the seriousness of your offense.  Although some applications will require a hearing, others do not.  In addition, while not strictly required, submitting letters in support of your application is strongly encouraged.  Letters can be drafted by friends, family, members of community organizations to which you belong, co-workers or employers, or members of your religious group.  For more information on the process, you should review the information on the website of Florida’s Office of Executive Clemency.  Additional information can also be found with the ACLU by clicking here.