Description
Non-equal treatment with persons with criminal record on labour market remains the common problem. Employers require the job applicants to document clear record, regardless to the type of job. Such practises are unlawful. The protection of vulnerable group has not been ensured by the Anti-discrimination Act, state control has seemed not to be effective. The impossibility to find employment causes relapse into crime. The project aims to improve the position of people with criminal record on labour market. Within the project we´ll identify suitable strategic cases of non-equal treatment, bring them before courts and carry out the situational testing of practises of employers. We´ll provide social-legal and psychological aid and lectures for the vulnerable group and also lectures for social workers. To ensure legal protection of vulnerable group we´ll cooperate with key state institutions for the purpose of enforcement the amendment of the Anti-discrimination Act.
Summary of project results
The project was responding to the situation of persons who have served their sentences in relation to their integration into the society. Within other previous projects this target group has contacted us with issues concerning their job search, etc. When treating these cases we have identified substantive number of objective factors which restrain said target group from especially usage of the job market as a tool of social integration and in consequence influencing the position of the Czech Republic in the top positions of charts of the recidivism. The characterization of fulfilment of particular goals of the projects by the means of individual key activities is as follows: 1) Enhancement of competences of individual representatives of the target group towards enforcing their rights on the job market. By the end of the project the sum of 95 clients was supported by the means of 341 interventions. 2) Active enforcement of legislative changes leading to elimination of barriers at the job market – meetings with all relevant persons involved in the state administration, whose conduct influences the position of the target group at the job market, were initiated. 3) Enlightenment, prevention, persecution of conduct with discriminative element in relation to the target group – in the commencement of the project a meeting was initiated with the Headquarters of the Prison Service of the Czech Republic, which consequently offered lectures to particular detentions and prisons. The most common case with individual clients was finding a job after serving the sentence, and deletion of the conviction from the criminal record. When it comes to systemic changes, the most significant success is the change of perception of the issue on the part of the state authorities where there is adequate concentration given to such cases – the working group was established and this group shall suggest legislative changes.
Summary of bilateral results