Evidence, not a pledge
The mark rests on something checkable: your published hiring policy or program, a confirmed hire, or you confirming your practice directly. Owner confirmation is the strongest evidence and keeps the mark current.
man employers
Hire people with records? Get listed.
Steel Man marks employers that hire people with criminal records, on dated evidence. Job seekers see the mark in the Steel Man job search and on our public state pages. Listing is free.
Last checked: Sources verifiedNext review:
Employers that hire people with records
01 / THE MARK
What the mark means
“Hires people with records” tells a job seeker that there is evidence you hire people with criminal records at a specific location. It is also called fair-chance hiring.
Place and role specific
A mark is tied to a location, and where it applies only to some roles, to those roles. A corporate statement alone does not mark every store.
Dated, with an expiry
Each mark shows the date it was checked and expires unless it is re-confirmed. Re-confirming with you directly is what keeps it current, so what job seekers see stays true.
Your limits travel with it
If certain roles require a check or certain offenses rule someone out, say so. The caveat is shown with the mark, which saves your team from applications that cannot go forward.
See how listings look on the public directory.
02 / INCENTIVES
Federal incentives, as of September 2026
What the federal programs say today, with the source. Confirm current terms with the agency before you rely on them.
Federal Bonding Program
The U.S. Department of Labor's Federal Bonding Program provides free fidelity bonds for job seekers whose background, including a criminal record, makes employers question hiring them. The bond covers the first six months of employment at no cost to the employer or the employee, with no deductible.
Most bonds are $5,000. A larger bond, up to $25,000, can be issued if the state bonding coordinator approves it. The applicant needs a job offer and a start date; the bond starts on the first day of work. Request it through your state's bonding coordinator.
Sources: Federal Bonding Program (bonds4jobs.com); Wisconsin DWD bonding; Montana DLI bonding.
Work Opportunity Tax Credit
Status: the IRS says the credit is available for wages paid to eligible people who began work on or before December 31, 2025. As of September 2026 we found no law extending it to people hired after that date, so do not count on it for new hires unless Congress renews it.
For reference, the credit covered a “qualified ex-felon”: a person hired within a year of a felony conviction or release from prison, up to $2,400 per hire (40 percent of the first $6,000 in wages). Form 8850 had to reach the state workforce agency within 28 days of the start date. If the credit is renewed, check the new terms first.
Source: IRS: Work Opportunity Tax Credit (page updated July 20, 2026).
03 / REQUEST
Request a listing
Tell us where you hire and for what. We confirm your practice with you directly before anything is published. There is no cost.
Prefer to talk first? Call or text (262) 391-8137, or use the contact page.