Fraud Alert

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
April 16, 2026

Media Contact
Angela Herrera Perez
press@opportunity.lacounty.gov

DEO Marks Second Chance Month with More than 1,000 Fair Chance Employers and 2,500 Hires for Justice-Impacted Workers

Los Angeles, CA — April marks Second Chance Month, a County-recognized observance of efforts that support justice-impacted individuals returning home and strengthening community safety through reentry programs, culturally specific services, restorative justice, and trauma-informed care. In honor of the month, the LA County Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) celebrates 2,594 justice-impacted individuals hired with 1,086 employers as part of its Fair Chance Hiring Campaign and dedicated hiring and training programs since DEO was created in July of 2022.

DEO operates the County’s public workforce system with America’s Job Centers of California (AJCCs) and programs and services that provide targeted outreach, training, paid work experiences, and access to quality jobs and career pathways, bolstering economic mobility for LA County workers and ensuring a qualified talent pipeline for hiring employers. As part of this work and DEO’s mission for a more equitable economy where all residents thrive, the department commits to expanding opportunity and advancing pathways to employment for justice-impacted individuals, simultaneously increasing economic mobility and reducing recidivism. 

In 2018, the State passed the California Fair Chance Act and the County followed in 2024 with one of the most progressive Fair Chance Ordinances in the nation, sponsored by Chair Hilda L. Solis and Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell, reducing barriers for justice-impacted individuals, filling skill and labor gaps across sectors, and directing financial penalties for employers who fail to comply with the new laws. 

“Second Chance Month is a powerful reminder that every person deserves the opportunity to rebuild their life with dignity, purpose, and hope,” said Los Angeles County Chair and First District Supervisor Hilda L. Solis. “I have advanced the Fair Chance Ordinance because justice-impacted individuals should not be defined by their past, and unnecessary barriers to employment must be removed if we are serious about building a truly fair economy. Through Los Angeles County’s investments in reentry and workforce programs, we are not just opening doors—we are creating real pathways to quality jobs, stable careers, and long-term opportunity. When we invest in people, we strengthen families, grow our economy, and build safer, more just communities for all.”

“Every person returning home deserves a real shot at economic stability, and that starts with a fair chance to work,” said Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell. “The Fair Chance Ordinance that we enacted is already changing lives across LA County, with thousands of justice-impacted workers hired by employers who understand that second chances are good for business and good for our communities. This is how we build a county where everyone can thrive.”

DEO and partners provide education, training, and hiring support for justice-impacted workers and employers through its Fair Chance Hiring Campaign, which was first launched in 2019 following the state law and re-launched with American Rescue Plan dollars in 2024. In partnership with Taskforce, the Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO), and Root and Rebound, since 2024, the collaborative created new toolkits that include the Fair Chance Ordinance and educated 1,348 justice-impacted jobseekers and 2,756 employers, building on the thousands originally engaged. DEO and partners further provided technical assistance to 682 employers to become compliant with the Fair Chance Ordinance and supported the hiring of 135 justice-impacted individuals across 95 employers to date.

Further, since July of 2022, DEO has supported 2,032 justice-impacted individuals in job training and 2,594 in access to employment through its AJCCs, co-located INVEST program with the Probation Department, High Road Training Partnerships like Apprenticeship Readiness Fund’s Multi-craft Core Curriculum (MC3) Pre-Apprenticeship Program and Los Angeles Community College District’s Strengthening Access to Fire Education and Reentry for Los Angeles (SAFER LA), transitional work programs like RENEW and LA:RISE, and Youth@Work programming in camps and halls. All ofthese programs are continuing to enroll today.

“Through our Fair Chance Hiring Campaign, we are helping unlock potential that too often goes overlooked. Alongside our broader workforce and reentry efforts, we are expanding access to opportunity for justice-impacted individuals, supporting businesses in meeting workforce demand while opening real pathways to stability, dignity, and long-term economic mobility across Los Angeles County,” said DEO Director Kelly LoBianco.  

Together, DEO works with the Justice, Care, and Opportunities Department (JCOD) on supportive reentry; the Department of Consumer and Business Affairs (DCBA) on business education and compliance with the law; and the Department of Human Resouces(DHR) to ensure Fair Chance Hiring extends to the 110,000+ public jobs available with LA County.  

“Employment can be a powerful part of a person’s reentry journey. When justice-impacted individuals are connected to supportive services, workforce training and a fair chance to succeed, they are better positioned to rebuild their lives, strengthen their families and contribute to their communities,” said JCOD Director Judge Songhai Armstead (Ret.).“That is the work we are committed to at JCOD every day, and our partnership with DEO helps make those opportunities real for the people we serve during Second Chance Month and throughout the year.”

“Fair Chance hiring is about making sure people are judged on their skills and experience, not just their past. At DCBA, we help support a system where businesses fairly consider individuals reentering the workforce, which provides greater economic justice and prosperity across Los Angeles County,” said DCBA Director Rafael Carbajal.

“Across Los Angeles County, fair chance hiring is creating more opportunities for individuals to enter and contribute to the workforce. By continuing to expand access to employment for justice-impacted individuals and strengthening hiring policies and practices that remove unnecessary barriers, the County is making meaningful progress toward a more inclusive and resilient workforce. As a public employer, we remain committed to ensuring that every candidate is evaluated fairly and given the opportunity to succeed,” said DHR Director Lisa Garrett.  

In addition to promoting Fair Chance Hiring and enrolling programs, DEO will be at a variety of County-sponsored Second Chance Month events this month, including:  

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About DEO:  About DEO: The LA County Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) has a vision for a more equitable economy with thriving communities, inclusive and sustainable growth, and opportunity and mobility for all. The department, with its America’s Job Centers of California, Office of Small Business, and hundreds of programs and partners, creates quality jobs, helps small businesses and high-road employers start and grow, and builds vibrant communities and spaces. Stay connected with DEO! Follow @EconOppLA on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, subscribe to our newsletter, or visit opportunity.lacounty.gov to learn about DEO services.