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Having little to no job history can combine with lacking educational credentials and employer bias against those with criminal records to make the employment search nearly impossible. Safer Foundation’s transitional employment program offers clients a vehicle by which they can learn the customs and routines of the workplace, acquire job skills, establish an employment record, and generate employer references to enhance their competitiveness in the job market.

Transitional jobs are time-limited, wage-paying jobs that combine real work, skill development, and support services to help participants overcome substantial barriers to employment. Transitional employment is one of the most effective initiatives for helping returnees find jobs upon reentry, with an employment rate 33 percent higher than than other preparation programs. In fact, upwards of 81 percent of transitional employment graduates go on to achieve unsubsidized employment.

In January 2005, Safer started Pivotal Staffing, LLC, a staffing service for people with criminal records. The program features 300 full-time transitional job slots with one major employer, Allied Waste. Safer places its transitional employment clients into 90-day employment opportunities and then assists them as they move towards permanent employment. To further increase the likelihood of success, Safer offers a client support component, which features work-focused case management, 30 days of transportation support, career development assistance, complimentary work boots, and retention support groups

Safer’s Proven Success

Safer’s Transitional Employment Program has been a valuable offering for returnees as they enter the job market. The following statistics indicate the program’s level of effectiveness:

• In the first three years of the program, 886 Safer clients entered into full-time transitional employment opportunities, many becoming stable wage earners for the first time.
• Loyola University’s annual recidivism study of Safer’s outcomes showed a 68 percent decrease in recidivism, as compared to Illinois returnees as a whole, when clients maintain employment for at least 30 days
• 54 percent of Safer clients employed by Pivotal Staffing since 2005 achieved 30-day job retention. Since the addition of the transitional support component, that number increased to 73 percent.

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