Correctional programs in general, and prisoner reentry programs that target employment, in particular, can have an effect on recidivism if they follow the principles of effective correctional programming.  These principles argue that effective programs target higher risk offenders, address criminogenic risk factors, and systematically train offenders how to observe and anticipate problem situations and then how to plan and practice prosocial responses to those situations. This training often occurs through versions of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Recognizing that many correctional employment programs do not integrate these well-established principles into their work settings, the University of Cincinnati Corrections Institute partnered with MDRC and the Center for Employment Opportunities to develop a new curriculum that integrates a cognitive behavioral approach into an employment program for people with criminal records. This paper reviews the relevant research on the effectiveness of reentry programs that target employment and the rationale for this curriculum. Furthermore, the curriculum will be described in order to demonstrate how employment-focused reentry programs can be enhanced by adhering more directly to the principles of effective correctional programming. We hypothesize that these enhancements will improve both employment and recidivism outcomes.