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Getting a Job After Prison in Wisconsin

There is one question that determines whether you get hired. Not the application. Not the background check. Not what the charge was or how long you were inside.

The question is this: why you, over the thirty other people I could hire who don't have a criminal record?

If you walk in without a ready answer, you will not get the job. The interviewer can see the pause the moment you don't have something prepared, and once they see it, the room shifts against you. What you need is an answer practiced enough to say with confidence and humility at the same time.

The answer that works is this:

Everybody deserves a second chance. Somebody is going to give me one. And they are going to get the best employee they ever had, because I am never, ever going to do something that sends me back to prison.

Say it clean. Say it without flinching. It makes no excuses, asks for no sympathy, and tells the employer the one thing they actually need to know: you have more reason to perform than anyone else in that stack.

Then live it. The light is on you from the first day. Use it. Work twice as hard as the person next to you. Show up earlier, stay later, and make that scrutiny your shining light, not a shadow. The person standing next to you does not have anyone watching them that closely. You do. That is the advantage if you decide to use it.

What the Law in Wisconsin Says About Your Record

Wisconsin's fair employment law (Wis. Stat. §111.335) provides statewide protections for applicants with criminal records. Under this statute, employers are prohibited from refusing to hire or discharging an individual based on an arrest or conviction record unless the circumstances of the offense are substantially related to the circumstances of the job. This provides a meaningful individualized assessment requirement for all Wisconsin employers.

Wisconsin also enacted a ban the box policy (Executive Order 61, 2016) prohibiting criminal history questions on initial applications for state government positions. Several Wisconsin localities including Milwaukee have enacted their own ban the box ordinances.

Federal FCRA protections apply statewide. Non-conviction records older than seven years cannot appear on consumer reporting agency background checks for most positions.

Wisconsin's expungement law (Wis. Stat. §973.015) allows expungement of qualifying convictions for individuals who were under age 25 at the time of the offense and have completed their sentence. The law was expanded significantly -- in 2016 and again in subsequent years -- to cover additional offense types including some felonies. Once expunged, the record is removed from public access and the person may deny the conviction in most employment contexts. Non-conviction records are generally eligible for expungement without these age restrictions. Wisconsin Legal Action (wislegalaction.org) and Legal Action of Wisconsin (legalaction.org) provide free guidance.

Building the Answer Before You Need It

Wisconsin's Wis. Stat. §111.335 requires every employer to assess the relationship between your record and the specific job before using it against you. That is a meaningful protection, and it means blanket exclusions by Wisconsin employers are unlawful.

Wisconsin Department of Corrections provides educational programs, vocational training, and transitional release planning inside facilities. Wisconsin Fast Forward and related workforce initiatives provide job training grants targeting in-demand sectors including manufacturing, healthcare, and information technology.

Wisconsin Job Center network (americanjobcenter.gov) statewide provides job search assistance, career counseling, training referrals, WOTC coordination, and Federal Bonding access.

Wisconsin's economy runs on manufacturing (dairy equipment, printing, paper products, auto parts), healthcare, agriculture, financial services, and technology. Milwaukee, Madison, Green Bay, Appleton, and Racine are primary labor markets. Wisconsin's manufacturing sector is one of the largest in the Midwest, creating consistent demand for skilled production workers. Whatever you are applying for, make the answer specific to what that employer needs.

Practice it out loud. Until the hesitation is completely gone. Wisconsin law requires employers to assess the relationship between your record and the job -- blanket rejection is unlawful. Your answer earns the offer.

Companies in Wisconsin That Hire People with Criminal Records

Wisconsin's economy, anchored by Milwaukee and Madison with significant manufacturing across the Fox Valley, Green Bay, and Racine corridors, creates consistent demand.

Amazon, Walmart, Home Depot, and major food service operators have Wisconsin operations and national fair chance commitments. Aurora Health Care, Froedtert Health, and SSM Health hire in healthcare support. Kimberly-Clark, Graphic Packaging, and paper/packaging manufacturers along the Fox River Valley hire in production. Manufacturing employers across Milwaukee and Racine (automotive parts, industrial equipment) face labor shortages. Harley-Davidson in Milwaukee has fair chance hiring initiatives. Construction contractors statewide face persistent demand.

Wisconsin Job Centers provide employer connections and WOTC documentation statewide.

Staffing agencies across Milwaukee, Madison, and Green Bay are the most accessible first step.

For the full national list of companies with public fair chance commitments, see the InmateAid Fair Chance Employer Reference List.

The Tax Credit Employers Get for Hiring You

There is a federal program called the Work Opportunity Tax Credit, or WOTC. When an employer hires someone from a qualifying group, including individuals recently released from prison, the employer may receive a significant federal tax credit per qualifying hire. That is not charity. It is a business incentive the federal government created specifically to make hiring returning citizens financially advantageous.

You are not asking anyone to take a risk on you. You are telling them your hire comes with a tax benefit attached that none of the other thirty applicants can offer. Say it at the end of the interview, after you have made your case: I qualify for the Work Opportunity Tax Credit. Hiring me may put money back in your business. And I will give you the best work you have ever gotten from a new hire, because I have too much to lose to give you anything less.

Wisconsin Job Centers coordinate WOTC certification and Federal Bonding access for employers statewide.

Where to Get Help in Wisconsin

Wisconsin Job Centers statewide provide job search assistance, career counseling, training referrals, WOTC coordination, and Federal Bonding access. Find your nearest center at jobcenterofwisconsin.com.

Wisconsin Department of Corrections provides educational programs, vocational training, and transitional release planning. Contact through doc.wi.gov.

Wisconsin Legal Action (wislegalaction.org) provides free civil legal services in Milwaukee and surrounding areas including expungement guidance.

Legal Action of Wisconsin (legalaction.org) provides free legal help in other Wisconsin regions including reentry and record issues.

The Federal Bonding Program, coordinated through Wisconsin Job Centers, provides free fidelity bonding to employers who hire returning citizens.