Employment
in Lebanon County
There are different types of employment support you can find in Lebanon County. While it is always good to make sure your Indeed and LinkedIn accounts are updated and professional, it never hurts to have some resume guidance, and if you need some extra skills – some workforce development skills or an extra certificate – like the free ones from Coursera or Edx also give a resume a boost. Here, you will find a guide to workforce development agencies that can help you reach that next step towards economic self-sufficiency and ultimately to a career that suits you.
If you are a potential employer and are concerned that hiring someone with a criminal background presents risk. Please click here to learn how the completely free FEDERAL BONDING PROGRAM, protects you.
Job Skill Development, Employment Counseling, and Resume Support:
Temp Agencies & Employee Placement
Online Resources and Job Portals:
A little extra advice and guidance:
DO YOUR RESEARCH…
Glassdoor offers reviews, salary estimates, and has a vast library of resources from salary negotiation to knowing your rights…
Erin McGoff is a YouTuber with some excellent advice for job seekers including salary negotiation skills, resume & cover letter writing, and much more…
Education - Free and Otherwise
It feels unreasonable to ask people to consider volunteering when you really need money in your bank account. However, a few people have taken this advice, and it never fails to generate positive results.
DON’T DISMISS VOLUNTEERING
Organizations love volunteers (obviously). If you cannot find the job you love, volunteer for work within the capacity of what you love.
Volunteering connects people to a valuable network of potential employers and referrals, while also putting in experience where there would otherwise be a gap.
Go to Making a Difference to find opportunities in Lebanon County
Looking to work in construction? Habitat is a great place to start.
Go to idealist.org to find opportunities in remotely and throughout the region.
The bottom line is…
VOLUNTEERING IS GOOD FOR YOU.
Local(ish) Employers Who Hire People with Criminal Histories
Valuable Information for People with Criminal Histories Seeking Employment
Basically - What all the information below says is…
Employers in PA are discouraged from basing decisions solely on a person’s criminal history. Therefore, some employers are required to wait beyond the first phase of the selection process before conducting a criminal background check.
Pennsylvania banned-the-box (inquiring about criminal history) for government hiring but not private employers. Harrisburg, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh have ordinances that impact private companies . Here in Lebanon, private companies are allowed to ask about your criminal history. It should be noted that this only effects the first stage of the hiring process, and that all entities are permitted to complete background checks and make final hiring decisions based on the outcome of the background check.
In 2017, Pennsylvania adopted the House Resolution No.430, which urges that the Office of Administration adopt a “Ban the Box” policy relating to certain State agency employment applications. This simply moves the practice of inquiring about criminal history further along in the hiring process, so that initial decisions about employment are made on merit and qualifications. In other words, employers are discouraged from making blanket decisions that exclude anyone with a criminal history.
Also, in all cases, ban-the-box policies do not apply to positions in which having a criminal conviction is directly contradictory to the functions of the job. For example, financial agencies can discount anyone who has a conviction for financial crimes, regardless of the local Fair Chance Reporting Act.
Download the actual Resolution here.
Should I get my record expunged?
It is not a bad idea, but it is important to keep some things in mind. Most employers will not be able to see your record once it is expunged, allowing you to say “No” to the “Do you have a criminal record” question.
BUT
The job does matter. Most jobs that require licensing and all government agencies will be able to access your record - even if it is expunged. Click here to learn more.