Alaska job centers promote tax credits for hiring ex-felons

Alaska's 13 job centers offer free employment services and employer incentives designed to help justice-involved Alaskans find work after incarceration, a Mat-Su Job Center staff member said Friday.

The Work Opportunity Tax Credit provides a federal tax incentive for employers who hire qualified ex-felons. The U.S. Department of Labor defines a qualified ex-felon as someone who is hired within a year of being convicted of a felony or being released from prison for a felony. Employers can claim up to 40 percent of up to $6,000 in first-year wages.

A separate Fidelity Bonding program offers no-cost, no-deductible insurance to employers who hire at-risk job seekers. The bond covers loss of money or property from employee dishonesty through theft, forgery, larceny, or embezzlement, the staff member said.

Employers who want more information about Fidelity Bonding or the Work Opportunity Tax Credit can contact job center staff for the application process, the staff member said.

The current labor market favors job seekers. Two jobs exist for every one job seeker in Alaska, and many people who face significant barriers to employment are finding work for the first time, the staff member said.

Job centers operate in Anchorage, Midtown, Mat-Su, Dillingham, Fairbanks, Homer, Juneau, Ketchikan, Kodiak, Nome, Kenai, Sitka, Valdez and Bethel.