Eliminating Employment Barriers Through Caregiving-Center Job Design

Caregiving responsibilities are a leading driver of workforce exclusion for justice-impacted women; nearly 80% of women with convictions are mothers, many primary caregivers. Formerly incarcerated people face a 27% unemployment rate with Black women this at 44%. Operated by Operation Restoration, SERE Labs is a women-led, employee-owned, EPA-compliant clinical and environmental laboratory designed around caregiving realities. The project delivers fair wages, ownership pathways, and supportive services while advancing Social, Environmental, Racial, and Economic (SERE) justice.