Esta Bigler

Esta R. Bigler is Director of Cornell University ILR’s Labor and Employment Law Program, the Criminal Justice and Employment Initiative, and the Cornell Project for Records Assistance. Ms. Bigler uses her extensive background in labor and employment law to convene conferences and forums studying current and emerging legal issues impacting employment, with the goal of influencing legislation and public policy decisions.

A major focus of Ms. Bigler’s work is reducing barriers to employment for people with criminal records, exploring the impact of employment on reducing recidivism, employer attitudes toward hiring people with criminal records, and the collateral consequences of incarceration. To expand this work, she founded the Criminal Justice and Employment Initiative, which has held national conferences, focus groups, education programs, and direct training, and developed informational websites and brochures.