Washington (May 1, 2025) - Yesterday, Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) reintroduced a resolution to recognize the month of April as “Fair Chance Jobs Month,” to ensure that formerly incarcerated individuals have a fair chance at securing good-paying, stable employment. The Fair Chance Jobs Month Resolution acknowledges the importance of removing barriers to employment for those affected by the criminal legal system.
Nearly 80 million Americans, or one in three adults, have a record of arrest or conviction. In the United States, nearly 14,000 laws and regulations restrict formerly incarcerated people from securing professional licenses required for a wide range of jobs. Individuals who reenter society continue to face systemic biases and stigmas that restrict access to employment. Even when formerly incarcerated individuals get hired, they earn lower wages on average than the general population.
“Individuals who served their sentences deserve a fair chance at rebuilding their lives when they reenter society. Formerly incarcerated individuals face significant obstacles, including systemic biases and licensing barriers, to securing a good-paying job,” said Senator Markey. “I am proud to reintroduce this resolution alongside Senator Klobuchar to help ensure those impacted by the criminal legal system get a fair shot at reentering the workforce and supporting a better life for themselves and for their families.”
“As a former prosecutor, I have seen firsthand the employment challenges people can face when they are released after serving their sentence,” said Senator Klobuchar. “This resolution to recognize Fair Chance Jobs Month will raise awareness of the barriers formerly incarcerated people face in the job market and promote opportunities for those who are looking to reenter the workforce.”
Cosponsors of the resolution in the Senate include Senators Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), and Andy Kim (D-N.J.).
The Fair Chance Jobs Month resolution is endorsed by JustLeadershipUSA.
“This resolution recognizes the immense harm caused by the criminal legal system—especially its economic impact on directly affected individuals—and highlights ongoing barriers to basic needs that continue to affect families and communities. To enhance public safety and stabilize the economy, we must dismantle ineffective policies and expand access to training and enhanced support,” said Ronald Simpson-Bey, Executive Vice President of Strategic Partnerships at JustLeadershipUSA.
Senators Markey and Klobuchar first introduced the resolution in April 2024. In February 2024, Senator Markey sent a letter to Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm urging the Department of Energy (DOE) to make good-paying clean energy jobs accessible to currently and formerly incarcerated people. In December of 2023, Senator Markey also led colleagues in introducing the End Solitary Confinement Act, legislation that would end solitary confinement in federal prisons, jails, and detention centers, with limited exceptions.
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