For Immediate Release
Contact: Lindsay Corcoran 508-368-7252 or 774-670-8811
WORCESTER – A job fair focused on finding jobs for those with a criminal record is being held next week in partnership between Worcester County District Attorney Joseph D. Early, Jr., Worcester County Sheriff Lew Evangelidis, and MassHire Central.
On Thursday, Aug. 11 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., more than 20 local employers will be participating in the job fair at MassHire Central Career Center, 340 Main St., Suite 400, Worcester.
The job fair is open to anyone, though it is designed to connect those who’ve had previous involvement with the criminal justice system to employers.
“We know how important a job is to giving people a sense of purpose and we also understand the barrier a criminal record can create,” Mr. Early said. “Gainful employment has been shown to reduce recidivism rates and increase long-term addiction recovery, therefore making our communities safer. This is good government. People are not defined by their diseases or their history, and we applaud the companies participating in the job fair for seeing that.”
The Worcester County District Attorney’s Office previously hosted an expungement training in 2019 to help the public understand when a criminal record can be cleaned by expungement. The office also remains a committed participant in the City of Worcester’s Re-Entry Task Force alongside many community partners.
“I’ve always believed that the best social program is a job,” said Worcester County Sheriff Lew Evangelidis. “Nothing is more important than the dignity and self-respect of earning a paycheck. Job fairs are a direct pipeline for individuals who’ve become involved in the justice system.”
“We love collaborations, especially when it allows us to focus on target populations and work with organizations who provide resources to specific job seekers,” said Janice Ryan Weekes, Executive Director at MassHire Central, which has locations in both Worcester and Southbridge. “This job fair is a continuation of our work with this population. Prior to the COVID pandemic, we were working behind the walls, in collaboration with the Sheriff’s and District Attorney’s offices, to help this population get job ready.”