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Business owners giving former inmates a second chance with employment

"I would have never imagined that a couple of years ago I'd have my own house, car and my kids back in my life."

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KTHV)- Trying to get a job is hard, but it's even more difficult for a felon.

Julia Cody is a felon that was given a second chance. She said the business owner of Jimmy's Serious Sandwiches gave her a job when she was down on her luck.

“I would have never imagined that a couple of years ago I'd have my own house, car and my kids back in my life,” she said.

She started as an employee in January 2017, then she was promoted in March 2018 to assistant manager and now she's giving other former inmates the same opportunity she was given.

“I'm a felon and I want to be able to reach out and help other people that are felons as well,” she said.

Blair Pieroni, was hired by Cody and just started working at Jimmy’s Serious Sandwiches Monday.

“I've probably applied for ten or so jobs before I got this one,” she said.

Pieroni said checking the felon box on job applications is an automatic shut down for most managers.

“It's immediately a red flag when you have to check yes on that,” she said.

She said she made a mistake, paid her consequences and now she feels she should be treated fairly.

“I think we deserve a second chance because I'm just of good as a worker as anyone else,” she said.

Executive Director of the Exodus Project, Paul Stevens, said released prisoners are some of the hardest working people.

“They need the jobs, we need the employees, we just need to match them up,” he said.

He hopes other business owners start taking the chance on them.

“I think they would be shocked at the level of education and training that many of them already have,” he said.

Other businesses that hire felons include ACE Glass Hardware and Gally Support Services.

Also, there are tax credits available if you employ a certain group of people and that includes former felons.

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