JPMorgan Chase & Co. has been announced as the title sponsor of the inaugural Fair Chance Employment Symposium, hosted by Arouet Foundation, a community-based nonprofit helping companies across Arizona implement inclusive hiring practices to overcome a grave labor shortage.
The Symposium will be in the Aztec Room of the historic Arizona Biltmore from 7:30 a.m. to noon, Friday, Oct. 21, 2022, and provide companies with innovative, evidence-based tools for successfully employing people with a criminal past (commonly known as “fair chance” or “second chance” hiring).
“We are so proud to amplify the pioneering fair chance practices of JPMorgan Chase & Co.,” said Alison Rapping, CEO of Arouet Foundation, Arizona’s leading advocates for formerly- and currently-incarcerated women. “Chase serves as a model for not only the state but for companies across the country.”
The lineup of Arouet’s Fair Chance Employment Symposium includes keynote speaker Jeff Korzenik, a Fox Business News investment strategist and author of Untapped Talent: How Second Chance Hiring Works for Your Business and the Community. As the title sponsor, JPMorgan Chase & Co. will also feature prominently at the Symposium. Deanna Murphy, Chase’s Vice President and Southwest Regional Director of Corporate Responsibility, will participate in a panel discussion on fair chance solutions to workforce challenges.
“Approximately 70 million Americans have a criminal record,” Murphy said. “Research shows that individuals with a conviction history often experience significant collateral consequences as a result, including barriers to employment and a lack of opportunities to advance professionally.
“Business has a role to play in helping more people share in the benefits of economic growth,” she added, “and we’re proud to partner with Arouet in this effort.”
In April, JPMorgan Chase & Co. launched collaborations with several community organizations across Phoenix, including Arouet, to help further build its pipeline for hiring people with conviction and arrest records. In 2020, Chase also backed a FDIC-approved rule change making it easier for people with convictions for certain low-risk offenses to qualify for jobs in the banking industry.
The Symposium will draw influential business leaders and policy makers from across the state, as well as several members of the Arizona House Commerce committee, including Reps. Steve Kaiser (Vice Chair), Ben Toma, Justin Wilmeth and Diego Espinoza.
