By Margrit Allen, Guest Columnist
Detroit has long been a city of invention and reinvention. It’s a tradition that has attracted talent to our city, birthed businesses and entrepreneurs, and given us the hallowed reputation as gritty innovators. From auto capital to bankruptcy survivor to tech and design hub, we know what it means to build, attract, and innovate.
Right now, Detroit cannot afford to leave any worker behind. And the data tell us that we are. Detroit’s unemployment rate continues to outpace the state and national average. Many jobs that are available are low-wage, unstable, or inaccessible due to unreliable transit, training gaps, or discrimination. In Detroit, the median household income is $31,000 less than households in the region, and almost $45,000 less than a family of four needs to survive. Fewer dollars in the pockets of workers means less economic output.
Estimates suggest that Detroit is leaving money on the table. The persistent inequities we face cost the region an estimated $28 billion in lost economic activity per year.
Charting a future where we continue to build and thrive as a city means advancing practical local solutions that ensure that we are harnessing local talent and modernizing our local workforce system. It also means that we must remove barriers that lock out local talent from accessing good jobs.
Across Michigan, blanket exclusion policies still prevent people with prior convictions—often decades old—from even being considered for entire swaths of the labor market. These laws are economically shortsighted. They cut off motivated, trained, and vetted individuals from accessing growing job sectors every day. Meanwhile, too many community colleges and job training programs invest in certifying Detroiters for roles they still can’t legally take. And because the workforce system is underfunded and uncoordinated Detroit workers who are accessing services fail to get what they need.
I’ve seen the power of updating blanket exclusion policies for the benefit of an entire sector. Under my leadership, we have completely revised hiring policies across 27 states to be more inclusive for people who have had convictions and are building conviction-informed career pathways so that fewer people are screened out of employment in healthcare settings due to legal restrictions. Additionally, I’ve seen the power of aligning workforce programs with the needs of Detroiters facing barriers to employment to transition people to employment and good jobs.
This is not just a moral issue. It’s a workforce issue. And it’s a business issue.
When we limit who can be hired and disinvest in our workforce systems, we shrink the talent pool. We strain existing businesses and limit their growth.
That’s inefficient, expensive, and unsustainable.
What We Can Do
The Detroit Economic Justice Coalition (DEJC) isn’t just calling for the next Mayor of Detroit to advance fairness; they are calling for smart policy that drives growth from the ground up. Their 2025 platform makes an undeniable case: economic justice is good for business.
If the next Mayor is serious about fair growth, they will:
- Redesign the workforce system to include wrap-around services: mental health supports, childcare access, transportation, and coaching. These aren’t just add-ons—they’re essential to keeping people working and well. By investing in a more coordinated, human-centered system, we’re not just improving job readiness—we’re boosting resilience. That matters in every job sector.
- Expand transitional jobs I’ve seen firsthand how transitional jobs programs benefit workers, employers, families, and entire neighborhoods. It’s time for a sustainable strategy that expands transitional jobs so that everyone can benefit.
- Implement fair-chance hiring policies across city and county.
- Provide incentives for employers who adopt inclusive hiring policies and partner with reentry and transitional jobs programs.
The Bottom Line
Detroit cannot afford to leave qualified people on the sidelines. Businesses want to locate in places where workers are supported, services are efficient, and communities are safe and thriving.
The DEJC’s platform aligns with that future. By investing in equitable growth and workforce systems that align, we’re building a Detroit that attracts and retains talent and business — because it’s a city where people can live well.
Margrit Allen is the Director of Workforce Innovation at a large multi-state health care system.
About Post Author
