Employer Benefits

1. Bonding Programs provide insurance for any ex-offender employed. The Federal Prison Industries (UNICOR) Bonding Program is a bonding program for all qualified federal prisoners released after February 1, 2006. Employers receive bonding insurance up to $5,000 for first 6 months of employment. For more information contact the ITB Federal Bonding Specialist at (202) 305-3872, or visit the UNICOR Federal Bonding Program website.
   
   
2. Mandatory Drug Testing is required for the majority of ex-offenders under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office.
   
   
3. Third-Party Risk Notification. The U.S. Probation Office will ensure that the employer is notified if an ex-offender is considered for employment and poses a possible risk to the employer or community.
   
   
4. Condition to Maintain Employment. Each ex-offender under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office has a standard condition to be employed or involved in an education or training program approved by the U.S. Probation Office.
   
   
5. Probation Officer as a Resource. Job retention is a priority. We encourage employers to contact our office regarding the performance of the employee.
   
   
6. Currently, law allows for a limited tax credit for the employment of certain qualifying ex-felons.

U.S. Probation Officers’ Role in Assisting Unemployed Ex-Offenders One of our purposes as U.S. Probation Officers is to assist unemployed offenders with job readiness training and employment placement. In achieving this purpose, our goal is to partner with available resources in the community to assess and assist an offender/defendant with job readiness training and employment placement. Employment as a Deterrent to Recidivism Statistics indicate a strong correlation between employment and success of ex-offenders in the community. The legal restrictions and social perceptions associated with felony convictions create added barriers, which makes employment challenging for ex-offenders. At the federal level in 2003, 80% of ex-offenders whose supervision was revoked were unemployed at the time of violation. This is consistent in our District, where 76% of offenders whose supervision was revoked were unemployed at the time of the violation.

Ex-offenders revealed finding meaningful employment as the most difficult problem they experienced.

What is meaningful employment?

Meaningful employment will consist of jobs that provide sufficient income to meet the necessary living expenses for the offender and his/her dependents. Such employment will afford the offender the opportunity for growth and to apply developed skills that contribute to the offender’s job satisfaction.