When Essence returned home to Oklahoma, she did not lack credentials. She holds an associate’s degree in nursing, holds a Peer Recovery Support Specialist certification, and boasts a history of steady employment, during which she could secure a new role within a single week. She was highly qualified and motivated to work, but navigating life as a justice-impacted mother introduced an entirely new, agonizing roadblock: the false start.
Essence would apply for a position, ace the interview, and be hired. She would begin working, putting in two to four weeks of solid effort and proving her capability on the job. But then the delayed background check would be processed. Despite her professional certifications, her past record would trigger an automatic dismissal.
"You work for weeks thinking you are finally safe, and then they let you go," Essence says. "Your certificates do not matter. The Center for Employment Opportunities in Oklahoma City is the only place I have found that focuses on your potential instead of discriminating against your past."
This pattern of getting hired only to be summarily fired left Essence trapped in a state of constant anxiety, feeling like she was perpetually walking on eggshells. Without stable, long-term income, she could not secure independent housing, forcing her and her two children to live with her mother. It stalled her ability to purchase a vehicle and stripped away her sense of security.
The most devastating consequence of these background check denials was the emotional toll on her family. When her children asked for simple, inexpensive daily items, Essence had to say no. Watching them cry over basic wants because a background check overrode her degrees made her feel entirely inadequate.
If these systemic background barriers were removed, Essence would be utilizing her nursing education in a stable career today. When employers adopt true fair chance hiring practices, they stop running people through cycles of false hope and instead create a baseline of stability in which mothers can care for their children with dignity.
