Mr. T.J. faced significant barriers in his quest for stable employment after spending over 15 years incarcerated at Angola State Penitentiary. Referred by FAIR to the Harvey Day Reporting Center, he focused on honing his interviewing skills and learning essential employment skills. His efforts paid off when he secured a position through a nonprofit.
Initially assigned to work on the grounds, he struggled with the heat due to his sensitivity, making the position unsustainable. Recognizing the need for a change, Mr. T.J. and his FAIR case manager worked on building self-advocacy skills and successfully advocated for a transfer to an indoor retail position.
Upon receiving his wages and working with his FAIR case manager on a spending plan, they discovered his wages were not paid in full. Drawing on the self-advocacy coaching he received, Mr. T.J. addressed the issue with his employer. Through his persistent efforts with the support of his FAIR case manager, he successfully advocated for the correct payment of his wages and received back pay for the discrepancies.
