Justice-Involved Professionals

Ban the Box and Fair Chance Hiring Initiatives were intended to help justice-involved individuals get a fair shot at employment. While well-intentioned, these policies often fall short. In many cases, job seekers feel pressure to hide their past, only to be disqualified late in the process. This can leave employers feeling misled—undermining trust before an employment relationship even begins.

Meanwhile, HR departments and risk management teams often serve as the first and final gatekeepers in the hiring process, filtering out applicants with records before hiring managers or executives ever see their qualifications or hear their stories.

Millions of Americans live with a past conviction, arrest, or sealed record—but the consequences don’t end with the paperwork. Even when charges are dismissed or expunged, justice-involved professionals often face silent disqualification, biased assumptions, and closed doors. This reality isn't just unjust—it's inefficient. Talent is being left on the sidelines.

At Three Feet High Foundation, we believe in surfacing potential, not just paperwork. The Hidden GEMS platform is being designed as a discreet, secure, and affirming space where justice-involved professionals can share their expertise, experience, and drive—on their own terms.

Worried woman resting her chin on her hand, reflecting the anxiety and uncertainty justice-involved individuals face in traditional hiring processes.
Anonymous man in a suit, sitting alone indoors with clasped hands and head out of frame, representing reflection and potential for second chances.

The Hidden GEMS Solution

1. Private, Skills-First Profiles
Candidates will create anonymous or semi-anonymous profiles focused on their qualifications, certifications, and experience, while offering optional context around justice involvement—when they choose.

2. Employer Education and Legal Guidance
Employers on the platform will receive accessible, easy-to-use resources about fair hiring laws, EEOC compliance, and liability protections. We demystify the legal landscape so employers can move from fear to fairness.

3. Talent Matching, Not Judgment Filtering
We don't use background checks as a barrier. Our platform starts with skills, then provides tools to help employers responsibly consider justice-related history after interest is expressed—not before.

4. Partnerships with Advocacy & Reentry Organizations
Hidden GEMS is built with input from reentry advocates, public agencies, and system-impacted individuals. We center lived experience in every feature.

Locked bars silhouetted against an orange sky, representing barriers faced by justice-involved professionals and the need for fair second chances in the workforce.

Why This Matters

  • Over 70 million Americans have a record

  • The unemployment rate for formerly incarcerated individuals is 5x the national average

  • Recidivism drops significantly with stable employment

  • Companies that hire justice-involved individuals report higher retention rates

This isn’t just about giving people a second chance. It’s about helping society get a second look—at all we’ve been missing.

A Platform Rooted in Trust

Hidden GEMS is designed not just to protect job seekers, but to protect employers, too. We believe the best way to expand hiring equity is through education, support, and narrative reframing—not shame, secrecy, or risk.

Together, we’re building something different:
A talent platform grounded in truth, access, and renewal.

Call to Action (Funders or Employers)

If you’re a funder, investor, or employer who believes in potential beyond the past, we invite you to help us launch this platform and become part of the change.