Jefferson County is hosting a job fair for people with a criminal record who want to reenter to the workforce.

The county’s district attorney Danny Carr announced the latest Second Chance Hiring Fair is set for March 21, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Boutwell Auditorium in Birmingham.

The job fair was started in 2019 by Carr’s office, and has happened seven times with help from local nonprofit organizations, businesses and other government entities. The focus is finding employment for formerly incarcerated people.

“The DA’s office recognizes there is significant correlation between crime and poverty; which is exacerbated with the prohibitive effect criminal histories have when attempting to secure employment,” a statement on the group’s website said.

“Therefore, connecting this target population with felony friendly prospective employers is an effort to begin meaningful community outreach for our often forgotten citizens.”

Since 2019, there have been over 1,100 people seeking jobs at the events and 685 have been hired from more than 50 employers.

The potential economic impact of the job fair is over $17 million according to the event committee.

“While we are excited about the progress, our task is not complete,” the committee said in a press release.

“Approximately 2,000 people reenter the workforce in Jefferson County after incarceration every year. Each of them deserves an opportunity to secure employment to provide for their families and contribute to their communities. Our goal is to work together to bring them into the same room with great employers who believe in second chances.”

Employers looking to participate in the job fair should register their group online. Job seekers can also register on the event website.