Employment Resource Center Guide

Employment Resource Center Location, Resources and Related Characteristics
Location, staff, and resources
Furnishings and Materials
Activities
Resources
UNICOR Federal Bonding
Government Published Resources
Privately Published Resources
Employment Eligibility Verification Form I-9
(includes Form, I-9 Instructions, Proof of Citizenship Lists of Acceptable Documents.)

The Inmate Transition Branch can be reached by writing to:
Inmate Transition Branch, Federal Bureau of Prisons, 320 First Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20534 or call the Inmate Transition Branch, 202-305-3860 or or 3868, 5335, 8128, 4430, E-mail: Sylvia McCollum.

Employment Resource Center Location, Resources and Related Characteristics:

Location, staff, and resources

Employment resource centers provide inmates planning for their release the opportunity and means to participate in job readiness activities.

In order to be most effective, a center should be located in an area readily accessible to, and frequently used, by inmates. Two or more trained inmate resource aides, assigned to the center, can help deliver employment enhancement services with infrequent staff supervision. Outside resources from the local workforce development council, the state employment service, the department of labor, and the local community/junior colleges, can assist in developing and maintaining the employment resource center.

Furnishings and materials

Typical employment resource centers should have a table, a typewriter, a file cabinet, and some book shelves. Tables should be large enough for more than one inmate to use as a work area. Access to a typewriter enables inmates to prepare their resume and cover letters. Use of computer labs, where available, for this purpose is also desirable. The file cabinet can be used to house folders, by state, and subdivided by metropolitan areas or towns, to store community contact information. Resource books and other publications can be shelved on one or more book shelves for checkout or reference. Employment resource center aides should collect information by mailing requests, over staff signature, to appropriate state departments of labor or workforce development councils. Some information may also be obtained by staff from state home pages on the Internet at www.state.__.us. (Insert the two digit postal code for the state, such as www.state.va.us, for Virginia).

Activities

Employment centers should ensure the creation of employment folders for inmates to use in job searches. Since many companies are required to verify the citizenship of prospective employees before they hire, the folder should contain proof of citizenship and an acceptable picture identification. (See these requirements listed and explained in Figures 1, 2, and 3, on Immigration and Naturalization Service documents). A typical folder should include a social security card, a resume, a certified copy of a birth certificate, a high school diploma or General Equivalency Diploma, vocational certificates, college diploma(s), and a transcript from each school attended, including one from the federal prison system. A federal or state picture identification such as a driver’s license should be included or obtained soon after release.

Other activities conducted in the employment resource center should include, but need not be limited to, identifying job leads, sending application letters and resumes to appropriate companies, participating in a job club with other inmates planning for release, obtaining documents to include in employment folders. The center resources may also be used to assist staff as they prepare for mock job fairs.

Resources

Resource material for resumes and associated letters, job search, life skills, and other materials to contribute to an inmate’s post release readiness can be maintained in the employment resource center. Staff may wish to access the Internet or other sources to obtain information about the best markets for specific occupations, job training and retraining program opportunities, including designated assistance for people that are disabled, veterans, and the elderly. Ex-offenders may qualify for employment and training assistance programs depending upon the requirements of the State to which they release.

The resources listed on the following pages are examples of those available to help inmates prepare themselves for release and post release employment. Staff should collect resources from available sources and place them in the employment resource center for use by those preparing for release.

UNICOR Federal Bonding

Federal Prison Industries (UNICOR) has established a bonding program for all federal prisoners who were released after February 1, 2006 and were employed by FPI at least six months, consecutively or cumulatively, during their incarceration. The program offers a unique opportunity for employers who hire you to receive bonding insurance, at no cost to you or your prospective employer.

The insurance will cover certain losses due to employee theft of money or property.

It is important that you inform any prospective employer in your job application letter, job application form or during a job interview that insurance coverage up to $5,000 will be provided during the first six months of employment.

Please read the enclosed sample job application letter carefully and use it, in part or completely, as you prepare your job application letters.

If you need additional information contact the Institution Bonding Contact Person at the institution at which you are currently incarcerated or from which you were released.

You may also contact Ray King, Federal Bonding Specialist, UNICOR central office, 202-305-3553.

Government Published Resources

Career Encyclopedia and Prospects:

Office of Information
Bureau of Labor Statistics
U.S. Department of Labor, 441 G St., NW
Washington DC 20212 202-606-7828
The Occupational Outlook Handbook
(price $26)

Career Guides to Various Industries:

Superintendent of Documents
U.S. Government Printing Office
Washington DC 20402 202-512-1800
(price $14)

Job Bank for the Airline Industry:

Office of Labor-Management Relations
U.S. Department of Labor
200 Constitution Ave., NW, Room N5411
Washington DC 20210 202-219-6231
Web site: www.ajb.dni.us

Employment Search Information:

Superintendent of Documents
Government Printing Office
Washington DC 20402 202-512-1800
Tips for Finding the Right Job (price 1.25)
(Download from web site: http://www.doleta.gov/uses/tip4jobs.pdf)

Future employment trends:

Superintendent of Documents
Government Printing Office
Washington DC 20402 202-512-1800
Occupational Projections and Training Data (price $5.50)

Matching Yourself to the Marketplace:

Superintendent of Documents
Government Printing Office
Washington DC 20402 202-512-1800
Matching Yourself with the World of Work (price $1)

Skills needed for specific Jobs:

Superintendent of Documents
Government Printing Office
Washington DC 20402 202-512-1800

Federal Student Financial Aid:

Federal Student Aid Information Center
P.O. Box 84
Washington, D.C. 20044
1-800/4-FED-AID (1-800/433-3243)
Student Guide and Forms
(Web site: http://studentaid.ed.gov/PORTALSWebApp/students/english/index.jsp)

Privately Published Resources

Everything You Need For Your Job Search

Bolles, Richard N., What Color is Your Parachute? Ten Speed Press, Box 7123, Berkeley, CA 94707. Updated annually.

Figler, Howard E., The Complete Job Search Handbook: Presenting the Skills You Need to Get Any Job And Have A Good Time Doing It. Holt, Rinehart and Winston. 383 Madison Ave., New York, NY 10017. 1979.

Collard, Betsy A., The High-Tech Career Book: Finding Your Place in Today’s Job Market. William Kaufmann, Inc., 95 1st St., Los Altos, CA 94502. 1986.

Wegmann, Robert, and Chapman, Robert, and Johnson, Miriam, Work in the New Economy: Careers and Job Seeking into the 21st Century. JIST Works, 720 North Park Ave., Indianapolis, Indiana 46202. 1989.

Resume Writing

Parker, Yana, The Damn Good Resume Guide. Ten Speed Press, Box 7123 Berkely, CA 94707. 1986.

Reed, Jean, Resumes That Get Jobs. Prentice Hall Press, Gulf+Western Building, One Gulf+Western Plaza, New York, NY 10023.

Interview Skills

Hellman, Paul, Ready, Aim, You’re Hired!: How to Job-Interview Successfully Anytime, Anywhere with Anyone, AMACOM, 135 W. 50th St., New York, NY 10020. 1986.

Medley, H. Anthony, Sweaty Palms - The Neglected Art of Being Interviewed. Ten Speed Press, Box 7123, Berkeley, CA 94707. 1984.

Young Job Seekers

Haldane, Bernard, and Jean, and Martin, Lowell, Job Power: The Young People’s Job Finding Guide. Acropolis Books Ltd., 2400 17th St., NW, Washington, DC 20009. 1980.

Durkin, Jon, Mid-Life Career Changes. Johnson O’Conner Research Foundation. Human Engineering Laboratory, 701 Sutter St., San Francisco, CA 94109.

Women Job Seekers

Educational Testing Service, Publication Order Services, CN 6736, Princeton, NJ 08541-6736. I CAN lists. (Classifies homemaker skills under various job titles in business)

Disabled Workers

Klein, Karen with Hope, Carla Derrick, Bouncing Back From Injury: How to Take Charge of Your Recuperation. Prima Publishing & Communications. P.O. Box 1260BB, Rocklin, CA 95677, 1988.

Minority Group Applicants

Johnson, Willis, L., Ed., Directory of Special Programs for Minority Group Members: Career Information Services, Employment Skills Banks, Financial Aid Sources, 4th ed. Garret park Press, P.O. Box 190, Garrett Park, MD 20896. 1986.

Offender Employment

Lordan, Kathleen, The Ex-Offender’s Job Search Companion, Cambridge Educational, P.O. Box 2153, Charleston, WV 25328-2153.

Employer Database

America’s Labor Market Information System, Employer Database, CD-ROM, InfoUSA, 5711 S. 86th Circle, Omaha, NE 68127, (800) 555-5211.

Internet Resources

U.S. Department of Labor
Employment and Training Administration
http://www.doleta.gov

America’s Service Locator
http://www.servicelocator.org

America’s Job Bank
http://www.ajb.dni.us/

America’s Learning Exchange (ALEX)
http://www.alx.org/

America’s Career Infonet
http://www.acinet.org/acinet/

Employer Locator
http://www.acinet.org/acinet/emp_sea1.htm

O’Net Occupational Information
http://online.onetcenter.org/

Employer Tax Credits
http://www.doleta.gov/business/incentives/opptax

Yellow Page Listings
http://www.bigyellow.com