Checkr, Inc., the leading technology company in the background check industry, announced today it has launched an end-to-end solution for job candidates to complete expungements and clear their criminal records. This solution, the first of its kind in the industry, removes the complexities and high legal fees typically associated with expungements and unlocks barriers to meaningful employment. This Checkr service will automate the manual process of petitioning a local courthouse to clear someone’s criminal record under local judicial procedures.
Checkr is donating $100,000 to provide qualified candidates expungements for free. In addition, Checkr has set the goal of clearing 1,000 candidates’ records free of charge. For other job seekers, this solution reduces legal fees from $1,500 to as low as $350 depending on the case. This furthers Checkr’s fair chance mission and goal of unblocking three million candidates in 2021 who have a criminal record.
“We believe a criminal sentence should not be a life sentence to unemployment,” Checkr CEO Daniel Yanisse
“At Checkr, we believe a criminal sentence should not be a life sentence to unemployment. Our expungement solution will help people to expand their opportunities,” Checkr Chief Executive Officer Daniel Yanisse said. “Our easy-to-use solution and the free expungements will allow tens of thousands of candidates to clear their records. We hope to grow the service even further in the coming years and encourage our customers and partners to join us to sponsor more free expungements.”
Today, as many as one in three Americans have a criminal record. That’s one-third of working-age Americans, or nearly 77 million people, who experience the stigma of having a record and face restrictions in employment, licensing, housing, and even volunteer opportunities. These lasting effects are damaging. Finding work is an essential part of ending the cycle of recidivism and helps to rebuild communities.
Many states recognize the increased need for employment opportunities for people with records and have passed legislation that allows for certain offenses to be expunged, or removed from public records. However, the lack of awareness, cost, and complex legal process for getting an expungement prevent most from pursuing it. Of those legally eligible, less than 10 percent obtain the expungement within five years of eligibility. It’s estimated that tens of millions of Americans fall into the second chance gap, the difference between eligibility and expungement, according to a 2020 study from the Santa Clara University School of Law in which Checkr participated.
Checkr has partnered with Lawyaw, a company that offers automated legal document workflow solutions, and Avenues Legal LLP, a law firm focused on access to justice, to streamline and reduce the price per expungement from an average of $1,500 down to $350-$500 depending on the charge, which goes entirely to covering the state’s petition filing fee and Avenues Legal’s services. Checkr is also collaborating with the Paper Prisons Initiative of Santa Clara University to measure the impact of expungements.
The current solution can expunge marijuana misdemeanors and Proposition 47 eligible charges in California. Checkr’s goal is to offer the most efficient and affordable expungements nationwide for all charges eligible for state-mandated relief. To start the Checkr expungement process and see if you qualify for free or affordable services visit here. If your company would like to sponsor expungements using this service and join the fair chance movement, please contact Checkr at expungements@checkr.com.
Checkr also committed to the Pledge 1% corporate philanthropy movement, pledging to donate one percent of its employees’ time, one percent of its product, one percent of the equity, and one percent of the profits every year to the mission of enabling fair chances.
“Our mission of building a fairer future is at the core of all we do,” added Yanisse. “The Pledge 1% and our expungement grants are ways to amplify our mission’s impact even further and to help millions of lives over the next decade.”
About Checkr
Checkr’s mission is to build a fairer future by improving understanding of the past. We believe all candidates, regardless of who they are, should have a fair chance to work. Established in 2014 and valued at $2.2 billion, Checkr is using technology to bring hiring to the next level. Our People Trust Platform uses AI and machine learning to help tens of thousands of companies modernize their background check process and make hiring safer, more efficient, and inclusive. Our customers include Uber, Instacart, Doordash, Netflix, Compass Group, Adecco, and Fortune 500 employers. We have a goal to work with our customers to unblock three million candidates in 2021. Join us in the effort to promote fair chance at www.checkr.com and on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter.
