Finding Work After Prison Is Easier for Michael Vick Than Most Ex-Cons
Despite a highly publicized conviction concerning a dogfighting operation that elicited much public criticism, football star Michael Vick soon found another job with the Philadelphia Eagles after his release from prison.
But for most of the 200,000 or so ex-cons in Philly, finding work is a much harder gig, Bloomberg reports. Although the city offers a three-year, $10,000-a-year tax credit for each former offender that is hired, only six companies have opted to participate in the tax program. None would allow their name to be used in the article.
Businesses that don’t participate in the program, as far as ordinary former offenders are concerned, include the football team, the news agency reports. (It doesn’t explain why the Eagles’ employment of Vick doesn’t qualify for a city tax credit.)
Among the lucky ones who have landed a job is Frank Myers, a 62-year-old with a master’s in business administration from the University of Virginia. Released in April after serving two years from stealing money from customer accounts, he had 50 interviews and 50 rejections before landing a job at a grocery store last week that pays $7.25 an hour.
“It’s not the job I’d pick,” he tells Bloomberg. “But it’s a confidence boost.”
Earlier related coverage:
ABAJournal.com: “Vick Gets to Keep $20M Bonus”
ABAJournal.com: “Jailed Michael Vick Files for Bankruptcy; Owes $10M to $50M”
