Action: Help Make Think Outside the Box a Reality in Eugene

In the past few years, major U.S. cities such as Boston, San Francisco, Seattle, Minneapolis, as well as Multnomah County, Oregon have changed their hiring policies and practices to reduce the barriers to hiring qualified people with felony convictions. These government bodies recognize that supporting the employment of qualified people with conviction histories helps rebuild lives, reduce recidivism, and strengthen community.

Asking about conviction history on initial job applications is unnecessary and discourages qualified people from applying. This practice reduces the city’s pool of qualified candidates and reinforces the notion that people with conviction histories are unemployable, a seriously detrimental message.

The City of Eugene needs to catch up with where the rest of the country is heading. If the question needs to be asked, it should be asked later in the process when people have an opportunity to provide the necessary background and context about the relevancy of their conviction history and what they have done to positively transform their lives.

The city should be finding ways to encourage the employment of people with conviction histories and support re-entry success.

The City Manager, Jon Ruiz, is a key decision-maker and can choose to change the City’s hiring practices. Please let Mr. Ruiz know that you support PSJ’s Think Outside the Box Campaign.

Click this link to Help Make Think Outside the Box a Reality in Eugene!

(Please act on this alert only if you live in Lane County, Oregon. Thank you!)