Laurin Leonard: Why Second Chance is our Best Chance

In this compelling episode, Kristine Michie sits down with Laurin Leonard, CEO and co-founder of R3 Score, to explore how businesses can make smarter, fairer hiring decisions. Laurin shares how outdated background checks create unnecessary barriers to employment for millions of Americans—and how her innovative approach is helping companies expand opportunities while managing risk. From addressing workforce shortages to breaking cycles of economic exclusion, this conversation is a must-listen for business leaders, HR professionals, and anyone invested in economic justice. Plus, Laurin opens up about the personal journey that led her to this work and how creativity and play keep her resilient.

Key Takeaways:

• Traditional background checks often create permanent employment barriers, even for individuals who have been out of the justice system for decades.
• A more holistic approach to assessing candidates with records can help employers and lenders make better-informed decisions while expanding opportunities.
• One in three working-age adults in the U.S. is system impacted, yet hiring methods often treat them as perpetually risky, limiting workforce participation.
• Businesses with unfilled roles lose an average of $14,000 every 90 days per position, highlighting the financial cost of excluding qualified candidates.
• Many financial institutions and employers still rely on outdated risk models, missing out on potential employees and entrepreneurs who are otherwise ready to contribute.
• Second-chance hiring is increasingly becoming an economic necessity, especially in industries facing massive labor shortages, like energy and infrastructure.
• Credit scores and criminal background checks often fail to provide full context, leading to risk-averse decision-making that disproportionately affects marginalized communities.
• Fair hiring policies can benefit both employers and the economy, reducing recidivism while filling critical workforce gaps.
• Expanding hiring criteria beyond traditional background checks can lead to more equitable access to housing, education, and employment.
• A data-driven approach to risk assessment can help businesses align their workforce strategies with both compliance and social impact goals.

"At present, our current behavior and systems are designed that if you have ever come in contact with the criminal justice system, you're kind of considered perpetually risky, which we know is not true." — Laurin Leonard

"Legacy is such a weird word… but you could have a living legacy, and you could have a legacy of love and things that have nothing to do with money." — Laurin Leonard