‘Fair Chance’ Job Filter by LinkedIn to Help Applicants Who Have a Criminal Record

A big focus for LinkedIn in 2020, and moving forward, will be expanding economic opportunity, and ensuring that all people have equal access to employment options.

That’s a lofty goal, but an important one – according to LinkedIn’s research, people with the right connections alone have a 12x better chance of obtaining their dream career. But it’s not just connections, it comes down to circumstances, locations – there’s a range of factors which can help to level the playing field for job seekers and candidates.

And this week, LinkedIn is taking on another key element, with a new “Fair Chance” filter for job ads on the platform, which aims to help people who have a criminal record find employers who are open to hiring them.

As per LinkedIn:

“One community facing a unique set of barriers includes the more than 70 million Americans who have a criminal record, many of whom have served time and are trying to reenter the workforce. That’s why we’re excited to roll out a new “Fair Chance ” job filter to help job-seekers easily identify employers who have committed to consider applicants with a criminal record, thus removing a major barrier from their job search process.”

As you can see in the above image, the new filter will be available within the job search drop-down listings. That will help save time and complications for impacted candidates – and importantly, people who use the search filter will not have the setting tied to their LinkedIn account, ensuring privacy.

With so many people fitting into this category, it’s definitely an important consideration, and again, another key element in LinkedIn’s mission to providing economic opportunity – which current CEO Jeff Weiner will be making his sole focus when he steps down from his role later in the year.

Employers in the US who want to be listed as a Fair Chance company can sign the Second Chance Business Coalition pledge, which LinkedIn uses to power its own listings. LinkedIn updates its information each month, so once you’re signed up, your job listings on LinkedIn will be added to the Fair Chance group.

LinkedIn’s Fair Chance Filter is currently available on the web in the United States and will be coming to iOS and Android soon.