Should a jail sentence stop you from getting a job? This Conn. business owner says 'no.'

COLCHESTER — When hiring people coming out of the criminal justice system, Jesse Baier doesn’t want his new workers to blame the system.

Instead, he hopes they can improve themselves.

“They’re seeing someone who is a minority thrive as a business owner, so why not them,” Baier, who is Black, said.

Baier owns Colchester-based JLS Premier Masonry and Construction Company, started in 2019 with his wife Shannon Baier. While they started the company for themselves, they quickly grew to need more help, and the couple made a point to hire non-violent felons.

“They're giving jobs now to people who have college degrees who are working,” Baier said. “They’re still not giving jobs to felons who have tattoos and everything.”

It’s important for people who have been through the legal system to have and maintain employment, Connecticut Department of Corrections public relations officer Andrius Banevicius said in an email to the Bulletin. People who are employed are less likely to re-offend, he said, and it introduces people who can be positive role models.

One of the people working for Baier right now is Malcom Greene, as a mason. Greene is on probation for possessing a firearm without a license. He connected with JLS through his probation officer.

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“At the end of the day, I don’t feel like somebody should be judged off of mistakes,” said Greene, adding that some people make bigger mistakes than others.

How does hiring ex-cons work?

Baier said he's a tradesman, not a probation officer, but that he wants to do his best to reintegrate the individuals on probation he has into society.

When Baier hires people, he connects with a probation officer. After telling the officer the details about the construction jobs, and that they’re in and out of clients' houses, the officer refers some candidates from his parolees.

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Non-violent felons hired by JLS start at $15 an hour. After 30 days, they’ll get a raise to $18 an hour.

“If you can make it 30 days for picking up bricks, carrying cement, climbing up ladders 30 feet in the air, you deserve $18 an hour,” Baier said.

Greene said, at first, he was just looking for any job opportunity, but two weeks into the job, he’s growing to like masonry, and wants to make a career of it.

“The actual labor of the job isn’t too bad; it’ll keep you in shape, keep you moving around,” he said.

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So far, Baier’s small company has hired four non-violent felon employees. One of them has since moved on to work for Tilcon, an asphalt company, another stopped showing up after four months, and two more are still working for him.

“This is just me and my wife structuring JLS to be able to do that out of pocket,” Baier said, adding that his company hasn’t received government money to hire anybody.

Challenges of finding a job after serving time

One challenge that can face people who have been through the justice system in finding employment is a lack of documentation, like licenses and social security numbers, Banevicius said.

Greene also said people’s perceptions and biases can impact employment.

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“A lot of times, especially if you are a male or female of color, have tattoos, whatever the case is, and you have some charges, people will look at you differently, as if you’re somebody they don’t want to be around,” Greene said.

In Connecticut, there are protections against employment discrimination based on criminal conviction. The only conditions where an employer is allowed to deny an application based on criminal record include a connection between the job applied for and the nature of the offense, or if hiring would create an unreasonable risk to property or people, according to the State of Connecticut Judicial Branch Website.

Baier said construction is different than most jobs, in the sense that “a brick does not have emotion and concrete doesn’t have feelings,” so background doesn’t matter as long as the person can get the job done and show respect.

Masonry and other construction jobs can be hard work, Baier acknowledges, telling people to “lift 80 pounds for eight hours.”

After working for JLS for a year or two, Greene wants to join a union or open his own business.

Baier said he’ll continue to hire non-violent felons for his business.

This article originally appeared on The Bulletin: Colchester masonry company gives ex-cons a job and a second chance