Second Chance Employer Profile
LeafGuard
A division of Englert, a more than 50-year-old manufacturer of metal roofs and gutter systems, Leafguard sells and installs seamless gutter protections systems. It solicits business through door-to-door canvassing, among other methods, and operates in 48 locations spread across 33 states nationwide.
The company has established its corporate headquarters in East Bruinswick, NJ, and its manufacturing plant in Perth Amboy, NJ. The total number of employees working at both Englert and its LeafGuard division totals about 1,500.
Second chance hiring practices
Like many other companies, LeafGuard is in the process of making second chance opportunities an important part of its hiring process. Although in its initial stages, the spirit of offering second chances has been with the company since its beginning.
“Our founder got the first opportunity in his career through a second chance organization. He was judged on his background. When he got the opportunity for a job, he always kept the thought in the back of his mind of how we can make a difference. He’s retired but that mindset is still with us,” says Patrick Mullin, LeafGuard’s lead production recruiter.
As part of the hiring process, LeafGuard’s hiring managers first do a reference check, which can be personal or professional – a pastor, a former employer or someone similar. They don’t do a background check until they’ve made a verbal offer to the candidate.
As for the background check itself, LeafGuard only goes back seven years. The crimes that it is most likely to rule out are violent physical and sexual crimes, says Mullin. “Very rarely do we get a background check that says we can’t employ this person. I’ve been at the company for more than two years and can count on one hand the number times that has happened. And it’s only been for sexual crimes involving minors.”
There are a variety of jobs that LeafGuard hires for, and second chance applicants can have a chance at most of them. These are:
Canvasser – Canvassers go door-to-door to solicit business. They work between 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. and are paid between $16 and $20 per hour. This is an important position, since 20% of LeafGuards business is sourced this way.
Sales representative – After LeafGuard gets leads from the canvassers, they send out a sales rep, who talks to potential clients about the job, takes measurements of the gutters they currently have and closes the sale.
Promoter or event marketer – This is a part-time job on weekends. Promotors set up tables at home and garden shows, community days and events like Rodeo Houston. “Any major public event where a lot of folks are going to be, we’re going to be there too,” says Mullin.
Driver/fabricator – Drivers deliver the gutter materials to the customers’ homes for installation. This job requires a valid driver’s license, and those who do it must be over 21 years old for insurance purposes. LeafGuard employees drive a 26-foot box truck. And in Illinois a commercial license is required for this. They also must be healthy and undergo a physical exam.
Gutter installer – Those who install gutters need to be at least 21 years of age and have a valid driver’s license.
Office jobs – A variety of jobs at the company’s headquarters include IT professionals and office administrators.
LeafGuard is actively looking for second chance employees but wants to make its effort more formalized. The company is in the process of beginning to look for partnerships with nonprofit organizations to work with them on developing a program.
It is also exploring sourcing employees through Honest Jobs, a job search site that specializes in connecting job seekers with felonies to second chance employers.