A new study commissioned by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and the Charles Koch Institute (CKI) revealed that about two-thirds of human resource professionals are open to hiring or have hired applicants with criminal histories. Employers who choose to hire those with criminal records should consider the real and perceived risks and should communicate their policies and practices to their employees. Noteworthy findings include: More than 80 percent of managers and two-thirds of HR professionals feel that those with records bring value to the company; the majority of workers say they are willing to work with individuals with criminal records; and a demonstrated consistent work history often overrides an employee’s past criminal history.

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