Employer Honors ‘Fair Chance Month’ To Show Improved Company Culture Thanks To Second-Chance Hires

One employer is marking Fair Chance Month by championing second-chance hiring and highlighting its positive impact on company morale.

With April marking Fair Chance Month, one employer is highlighting how second-chance hires have positively impacted company culture and morale.

Tony Bedard, CEO of Frontier Co-op, champions second-chance hiring at his company, citing data showing 85% of HR professionals and 81% of business leaders say justice-involved individuals perform as well as or better than other employees. In an op-ed for Fast Company, Bedard highlighted the measurable influence the practice has had on his workforce.

“At Frontier Co-op, we’ve seen firsthand the tangible impact second-chance hiring can make on a community,” Bedard shared. “We implemented our flagship Breaking Down Barriers to Employment program in 2018 to take a more holistic approach to addressing employment barriers. It involves adopting second-chance hiring practices and working with a local nonprofit partner to provide access to comprehensive wraparound services.

Citing today’s tough job market, Bedard noted that the challenge is even greater for the one in three U.S. adults with a justice-involved past, who face added barriers to employment. In honor of Fair Chance Month, an annual chance to spotlight reentry programs, resources, and skills training for formerly incarcerated individuals, Bedard is advocating for second-chance hiring to help remove barriers that keep formerly incarcerated individuals from securing work and rebuilding their lives.

Despite growing momentum around second-chance hiring in recent years, people with criminal records still face steep barriers, including a 50% chance of not getting a second interview. Systemic challenges—like limited access to housing and transportation—also persist, with returning citizens far more likely to experience homelessness. These barriers, based on a checked box, deny them jobs and a foundation to create a new path forward.

Bedard says second-chance hiring can—and should—be tailored to each company’s needs, pointing to the impact at Frontier Co-op. Through its Breaking Down Barriers to Employment program, the company offers subsidized childcare, transportation support, apprenticeships, and skills training, along with a new savings match initiative. The approach has strengthened hiring efforts, with more than 25% of its production hires in the past year coming from justice-involved individuals.

One example is Alisia Weaver, who started as an apprentice and is now a machine operator. As she approaches her sixth anniversary this fall, she has shared how second-chance hiring has transformed her life and future.

“This experience has helped me advance in all aspects of my life. I have my own place, a vehicle, and daycare for my son. I’ve come forward to tell my story because I just want to encourage people and inspire them not to give up, no matter what setbacks they face,” she said. “I also want to encourage companies to try something different and consider adopting second-chance hiring practices. It could be beneficial for you, but it could also change someone’s life.”

As a second-chance employer, Bedard partners with groups such as the Responsible Business Initiative for Justice and the REFORM Alliance to build a more inclusive workforce at Frontier Co-op. The impact has gone beyond helping employees rebuild their futures—it has also reshaped company culture, with staff frequently expressing pride in the company’s commitment to fair hiring.

“So many people know or love someone who has been held back by a justice-involved past, and it matters to them to see their employer offering people a truly fresh start,” he said.

Bedard continued, “By embracing candidates with diverse backgrounds and perspectives, we’ve seen how this approach strengthens the resilience of both our workforce and our business.”

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