Study: Legal intervention could bust down employment barriers

"A home, family and the opportunity for a lucrative career represent the American Dream desired by many. However, those basic rights are often elusive for individuals unable to find steady work due to mental illness, homelessness and other reasons often out of their control.

A recent study from the Legal Aid Society of Cleveland, funded by the Deaconess Foundation, cites the use of legal means as a powerful strategy in securing economic stability for Northeast Ohio's most disadvantaged citizens.

The 68-page report, published last year, outlines common barriers to employment and the legal tools needed to repair a system that, for many underrepresented job seekers, is fundamentally damaged. As criminal history and lack of transportation have poverty at their root, a clear pathway to a living wage can assist individuals in bypassing these and other roadblocks, the study said. Ideally, using legal aid resources will not only put Clevelanders to work, but more importantly allow them a chance for advancement..."

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