New Fort Collins staffing firm aims to find jobs for those with criminal records

FORT COLLINS — Jane Northrup’s startup staffing agency in Fort Collins draws from the most unlikely candidate pool — people who have criminal records.

Northrup, a veteran in human resources for a global manufacturing company who also has 10 years experience helping juveniles and adult offenders find work, launched Authority Staffing LLC in December.

Northrup said her faith-based company offers “professional and spiritual coaching” to those she helps find permanent jobs.

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Northrup’s business model is finding people with criminal backgrounds and matching them with client companies willing to hire them on a temporary basis that could turn to permanent full-time work.

“I want to change the life of the person in the system,” she said. “These people can be highly motivated.”

She assembles a group of workers for one client company at a time.

“Our first group of six people recently was hired permanently by Noosa Yogurt,” at its manufacturing plant in Bellvue.

She targets client companies offering light industrial and manufacturing jobs.

“I look for high-wage ($13 to $15 per hour), unskilled, entry-level jobs. … No seasonal or fast-turnover jobs,” she said. “I’ll assemble a group up to 30 people, if that’s how many a client company wants.”

While in the trial phase of work, Authority Staffing technically employs the workers and pays their wages and payroll taxes using funds from a contract with the client company. The fee covers wages plus payroll taxes, transportation to and from work and a profit margin for the staffing agency. She said the markup is generally 50 percent of wages, but is negotiable based on the number of workers needed.

Northrup finds candidates through connections she has made over the years with correction facilities, detention centers, probation officers and nonprofits that aid people with criminal backgrounds.

Northrup has been contacted by an investor in California who wants to help the cause. She hopes to be able to purchase housing that can be used by the workers while in transition, and a van for transportation.

“I drove the first group at Noosa to and from work myself for two months,” Northrup said. “That was not planned. It set back marketing efforts.”

Authority Staffing is located at 1281 E. Magnolia St. Unit D, No. 144 in Fort Collins. Phone is 970-308-5943. Website is www.authoritystaffing.com.