Introduced
April 29, 2026
Mr. Markey (for himself, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. Durbin, Ms. Duckworth, Mr. Padilla, Ms. Smith, Mr. Booker, Ms. Hirono, Ms. Warren, and Mr. Welch) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
RESOLUTION
Expressing support for the designation of April 1, 2026, through April 30, 2026, as “Fair Chance Jobs Month”.
- (1) expresses support for the designation of April 1, 2026, through April 30, 2026, as “Fair Chance Jobs Month”; and
- (2) supports efforts to—
- (A) ensure that people directly impacted by incarceration obtain stable and high-quality employment, housing, healthcare, and nutrition;
- (B) dismantle structural barriers to fair-chance hiring and employment, such as licensing restrictions, employer liability, and insurance restrictions;
- (C) expand workforce development programs for returning citizens, formerly incarcerated individuals, and others directly impacted by incarceration, including—
- (i) pre-apprenticeship programs;
- (ii) registered apprenticeship programs;
- (iii) career coaching, résumé building, technology literacy, and other skillset development programs; and
- (iv) programs that educate employers on best practices for, and the benefits of, fair-chance hiring;
- (D) match job providers with returning citizens and formerly incarcerated individuals seeking jobs;
- (E) support efforts from labor unions and worker organizations to engage returning citizens and formerly incarcerated individuals who are seeking jobs;
- (F) publicize work opportunities that are open to applicants with prior arrest or conviction records; and
- (G) foster greater collaboration and dialogue between Federal, State, and local government agencies, community-based organizations, advocacy groups, employers, labor unions, currently and formerly incarcerated individuals, and others directly impacted by incarceration to enhance fair-chance hiring and employment and help to heal communities impacted by mass incarceration.