Employment Program
2021’s RISE Employment Program, a key reentry employment program, built a database of over 200 background‑friendly employers. The Employment Program also achieved an 89% employment rate among released RISE graduates seeking jobs after prison. By increasing employer relationships in Omaha, Lincoln and across the state, the Employment Program established itself as one of the leaders in the Metro area for successfully navigating employment for the formerly incarcerated through its reentry programs.[3]
As the employment reentry programs became successful it also became clear that, while more businesses are opening their doors to the formerly incarcerated population, there are many employers whose company culture is not prepared to properly welcome and retain employees with criminal backgrounds. Most white‑collar businesses are more reluctant to hiring formerly incarcerated people for jobs after prison. The narrative on hiring people with felony backgrounds in reentry programs is making a positive shift amongst employers and within the community.
Previously, the responsibility of self‑betterment has been placed on the applicant. However, employers are beginning to ask themselves, “what can we do to help, what is our role as employers to support all applicants and the community overall?” through job reentry programs. Nonetheless, action is still needed. In a reentry program where RISE highlights individuals’ expertise and talents, people with criminal backgrounds are still struggling to identify purpose and an understanding of their personal unique strengths. For the formerly incarcerated, the path of self‑discovery and employment go hand in hand, and it remains a challenging one.[1]
“I've achieved my goal by putting my all as much as I can and using my strengths. Even though I'm going through a lot, I still got things done.I've grown to open up when it was hard for me to do. I've also grown close to everyone involved in RISE.” – RISE Graduate
During 2021 Nebraska began to see an increase in employment opportunities for jobs after prison as the economic effects of COVID‑19 began to lessen.
At the end of 2021, Nebraska saw an unemployment rate of 1.8% – the lowest in the nation. Despite the low unemployment rate for the state, released RISE graduates saw a much higher unemployment rate of 10.8%, which is still lower than the national average of 27% unemployment for formerly incarcerated individuals in reentry programs.
Despite many RISE graduates improving their financial status through better employment opportunities, the median wage remains unchanged from 2020 at $15 per hour for 2021. It is theorized that this is due to many graduates entering industries that remain wage‑stagnant (e.g., manufacturing, warehouse) – a trend also seen in reentry programs.
To combat this stagnation, RISE is exploring several avenues to improve career trajectories and income opportunities for RISE graduates, including online certification partnerships, career advancement for felons, and partnerships with the Nebraska Department of Labor programs and state reentry programs.[2]
