John Shegerian, Chairman and CEO of Electronic Recyclers International (ERI), stressed the importance of giving the formerly incarcerated a “second chance for success” last Friday at the Fourth Annual Conference of the Alternative Staffing Alliance, held at the Hotel Monteleone in New Orleans.
Addressing a diverse audience of many of the nation’s employers and community economic development, Shegerian spoke as part of a panel on reentry into the workplace. Shegerian spoke about the many societal and economic benefits made available when formerly incarcerated individuals have been rehabilitated and are given an opportunity to reenter the workforce.
The Alternative Staffing Alliance is a national association of alternative staffing programs dedicated to helping motivated, disadvantaged individuals participate and succeed in the mainstream labor market through temporary and temporary-to-permanent job placements. The Alliance works to support and strengthen alternative staffing practitioners, promote and expand the sector, and raise employers’ sourcing standards to improve the temporary work experience of all low-skilled workers.
Also on the panel, alongside Shegerian were Carlyle Van Outten, National Director of Reentry Programming, America Works, NYC; Pamela Paulik, Vice President of Human Resources, John Hopkins Health System and The John Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore; and Ingrid Johnson, Chair, Newark Reentry Advisory Board/Office of Reentry, City Of Newark.
“It’s an honor and privilege to have been asked by the Alliance to share our story here today,” said Shegerian. “At ERI, we can lead the nation in recycling electronics, but it is also extremely important to us that we help lead the nation in recycling lives. We’re extremely proud of the employees on our team who have turned their lives around and we encourage other businesses to follow suit. We commend the Alternative Staffing Alliance for taking the time to shed light on the subject of the formerly incarcerated workforce and their tremendous potential at this very important conference.”