Second-Chance Employment & Job Licensing for Workers with Records

Barriers to work hurt Florida’s economy, public safety, and communities. Employers and taxpayers lose when 
6 million Floridians face hundreds of restrictions in employment and job licensing due to a past record.

Here are the Florida industries harmed by licensing restrictions on workers with records:

Dollars Down the Drain: how much Job Barriers in florida are costing you

By 2034, Florida’s economy will have lost out on half a trillion dollars due to job barriers for workers with records. Florida will throw away over $11 billion in tax revenue during that same period—and taxpayers will be left to foot the bill.

Eliminating unnecessary barriers to occupational licensing would cut Florida’s worker shortage in half.

Recidivism costs Floridians money and safety each year—and licensing barriers only make it worse. Higher-burden licensing laws are associated with an average increase in recidivism of over 9 percent.

Florida spends $313 million on recidivism each year, almost half the amount spent on workforce education programs. Reducing barriers to job licensing means more resources toward Florida’s goal of becoming first in the nation for workforce education by 2030.

Within 3 years of release, returning citizens with a year of employment are 3.25 times less likely to commit another offense compared to all people released. Recidivism drops even more when a person finds a job soon after release and their work is stable and skilled.

Recidivism costs Floridians money and safety each year—and licensing barriers only make it worse. Higher-burden licensing “Life ain’t gonna be easy, especially if you’re getting out of prison. But you just got to keep the faith, stay strong, and doors are going to open up for you. Even with barriers like not being able to get certain endorsements on licenses because of my record, I’m still pushing forward. I believe in second chances, and so should you.”