Stand Together Ventures Lab Announces Investment in Honest Jobs, a National Fair Chance Hiring Platform

Honest Jobs helps job seekers with criminal records across the country find employment free of charge, while making it easier for employers to identify and retain talent.

ARLINGTON, Va., March 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Stand Together Ventures Lab (STVL3, LLC) announced an investment in Honest Jobs, a leading national job platform focusing on fair chance employment.

The mission of Honest Jobs is to help people impacted by the criminal justice system find employment fast. The company was founded by Harley Blakeman, who through personal experience with the justice system – including a year of incarceration – saw the unique challenges of finding post-conviction employment.  He is one of the 70% of Honest Jobs' staff who have a felony conviction.

At present, more than 500 companies use Honest Jobs' fair chance employment platform to hire people impacted by the criminal justice system. For job seekers, the platform is free to use. While it takes an average of 200 days for people with criminal records to find employment using traditional methods, individuals who use Honest Jobs' platform typically find work within 36 days. These individuals also land jobs that pay an average of $30,000 more than jobs that are found via other avenues.

Honest Jobs raised a $1.5M seed financing round with support from STVL3, LLC.

"This fund raise was critical as we have more employers and job seekers signing up than we could service without accelerating our hiring plans," said Honest Jobs CEO Harley Blakeman. "Stand Together Ventures Lab will deliver a lot of strategic value beyond funding, and we're thrilled to be partnering with them and other investors."

"Honest Jobs is blending leading-edge technology, lived experience with the justice system and a deep belief in people to help justice-involved individuals find meaningful work," said Sihyun Choi, Managing Director, Stand Together Ventures Lab. "The Honest Jobs platform is a win for job seekers and employers, alike – particularly at a time when companies are struggling to find talent. It is an honor to back Honest Jobs and help them scale their impact in communities across the country."

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Roughly 77 million Americans – or 1 in every 3 adults – have a criminal record. Barriers that exclude these individuals from the workplace cost the economy billions per year. Employers who hire people with criminal records experience less turnover and report feeling satisfied with the quality of work these employees demonstrate. Customers, meanwhile, support businesses that hire people with criminal records.

About Honest Jobs
Honest Jobs is the leading national job marketplace for people affected by the criminal justice system. Since launching in 2019, we have attracted over 500 companies (eight Fortune 500) by providing technology that makes it easy to offer fair-chance employment while helping to mitigate the risk of negligent hiring at scale. We also pride ourselves on the fact that over 70% of our employees at Honest Jobs have felony convictions.

About Stand Together Ventures Labs
Stand Together Ventures Lab is an early-stage venture investment arm in the Stand Together community. We fuel founders and early-stage organizations that are dismantling barriers that keep society from moving forward. But our support goes beyond funding. We provide access to our extensive business and philanthropic networks that share our desire to change the world. We take the long view, and we take risks. Learn more at stventureslab.com. Check us out on LinkedIn.

SOURCE Stand Together Ventures Lab