Media Contact
Edgar Ndjatou, Executive Director
edgar@workplacefairness.org
(202) 540-0620
https://www.workplacefairness.org/
Addressing Criminal Backgrounds, Recidivism and Ban the Box
Workplace Fairness Protects Workers’ Rights
WASHINGTON (Jan. 17, 2023) – Workplace Fairness has been an anchor for workers nationwide since 2001 – over 20 years with its dynamic, award-winning website - serving as the #1 most comprehensive online source of free information about workplace rights and about resolving workplace problems.
In a recent episode of The Worker Experience, host Edgar Ndjatou speaks with Jeffrey Abramowitz, J.D., the Executive Director of Justice Partnerships for JEVS Human Services. Jeff was previously a trial lawyer until he found himself sentenced to five years in a federal prison. Today, he has helped over 5,000 individuals transition into employment. This conversation addresses criminal backgrounds in employment, the Ban the Box movement and more. Abramowitz is someone who has had personal experience in the areas of addressing criminal backgrounds, recidivism and ‘Ban the Box,’ a civil rights campaign aimed at removing checkboxes asking applicants about criminal records on hiring applications.
According to Abramowitz: "For over 20 years, I practiced law in the federal and state courts in Pennsylvania and in New Jersey, and about 10 years ago, I made some really poor choices and I found myself in front of a courtroom again only this time not as a lawyer but as a defendant. I was sentenced to five years in a federal prison and I've been home now just about seven years. Currently, I do a lot of different things but the center of my work is in workforce development, adult education and criminal justice. My goal has been to really help people understand the complexities of our criminal justice system and how we can help people find and secure not only gainful employment, but a real career pathway out of poverty."
To learn more, listen to the episode here: 11 | Criminal Backgrounds + Ban The Box by The Worker Experience
About Workplace Fairness
Founded in 1994 as the National Employee Rights Institute, Workplace Fairness is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit
organization that creates and maintains a comprehensive, digital one-stop-shop for free and unbiased
information about workers and their legal rights in the workplace. The organization provides resources on
their award-winning website that resolves work-related issues and encourages policymakers, members of
the business community and the public at large to view the fair treatment of workers as both good
business practice and sound public policy.