Grant to help ex-convicts get a job

A $10,000 grant awarded to the city of Findlay will be used to create a local program to help individuals with criminal convictions gain employment. The DollarWise Economic Mobility Grant, administered by the U.S. Conference of Mayors in partnership with Bank of America, will assist individuals with convictions to petition for a "certificate of qualification for employment," or CQE, from the courts. CQEs were created as part of Ohio Senate Bill 337 and became effective in September 2012, according to the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction. According to Policy Matters Ohio, one in four jobs in the state is barred or restricted to ex-convicts. The certificate allows employers and licensing boards to hire or award professional licenses to people who were not legally allowed to do certain jobs. It also protects employers who hire an applicant with a CQE against claims of negligent hiring. "Not one CQE petition has been filed in Hancock County in 11 years," said Mayor Christina Muryn. "These grant dollars will allow our local nonprofits to assist individuals seeking to work and contribute to our local economy by breaking down the barriers that are preventing them from doing so." The funds will be used to contract with Legal Aid of Western Ohio to help develop informational materials for local nonprofits and community members, to distribute outreach materials and to pay the filing fee for petitioners. Raise the Bar Hancock County and the Habitat for Humanity Financial Opportunity Center are assisting with the program's development, which will offer one-on-one assistance. "Through these monies, our community will be able to more effectively support residents who face barriers to employment," said Tricia Valasek, executive director of Raise the Bar. "Helping individuals overcome convictions and get back on their feet with strong-paying jobs is a win-win-win for the job seeker, employers and our community."