Criminal records are a major hurdle to landing a job, which is why removing barriers to employment for low-income workers is the focus of Equal Justice Works’ next national program.
Equal Justice Works—a Washington nonprofit organization that supports public-interest law careers—last week won $1.4 million from AmeriCorps to launch an Employment Opportunity Legal Corps. The legal aid organizations and Equal Justice Works will also contribute $1.1 million, giving the project a $2.5 million budget for three years.
Organizers will send 40 lawyers and 360 law students to legal aid organizations around the country starting in August. Once deployed, the students and lawyers will help poor people eliminate some of the legal problems that hurt their prospects—expunging misdemeanors from criminal records or helping them secure valid drivers licenses and obtain occupational licenses.