Second Chance Employers List — 100 Companies That Hire People With Criminal Records

How to use this list

This is a working list, not a motivational resource. Every company below has either a documented second-chance hiring policy, a stated fair-chance commitment, or a well-reported history of hiring people with records. That does not mean every location will hire you. It means these are your best starting points.

What matters more than the company name is what you do with the opportunity. Most people with records get passed over not because of their record, but because they didn’t know how to address it.

Three rules before you apply to anything on this list

Where your record matters least — and most

Not all industries treat criminal records the same. Some are structured around second chances by design — warehousing and trucking run on labor volume and can’t afford to eliminate half the workforce. Others have licensing and liability barriers that make hiring with a record nearly impossible.

Staffing & temp agencies — start here

Temp agencies place you into paid work fast and build W-2 work history — the single most useful document for your next application. Sixty days of verifiable employment changes how every other employer on this list looks at you.

Most agencies run background checks but evaluate on a per-assignment basis, meaning the client business often sets the final bar — not the agency. Call local branches directly. National policy rarely matches local reality.

Companies below are listed by policy strength. Always call the local branch before applying online.

Warehouse & logistics

High-volume operations need bodies. Background check policies often limit lookback to 7 years and focus on specific disqualifiers — usually theft and safety violations. Entry-level roles are your best access point.

Trucking & CDL

CDL opens significant earning potential. Most felonies do not automatically disqualify you from a commercial driver’s license — but specific conviction types do. Review the CDL quick reference table before applying to any carrier. Surprises kill trucking applications.

Construction & trades

Trades pay well and skills matter more than records. Union halls vary — some locals are open, others less so. Non-union general contractors are often the easiest entry point. If you have a trade certification, lead with it.

Retail

Retail is accessible but not universal. The bigger the company, the more the HR process is automated — which can work against you. Apply in person where possible. Avoid roles with cash drawer responsibility if your record includes theft or fraud.

Food service & restaurants

Food service hires constantly. Turnover is high, entry is low-barrier, and schedules are flexible — which helps when you’re dealing with supervision appointments. This sector won’t make you rich but it builds work history fast.

Manufacturing

Manufacturing and production roles often have the most straightforward background check processes. Safety violations and recent violence are the main flags. Drug testing is nearly universal. Non-violent older convictions are routinely workable in this sector.

CDL with a felony — what actually disqualifies you

Most felonies do not prevent you from getting a commercial driver’s license. This is one of the most misunderstood facts in reentry employment. People write off trucking before they check the rules. The disqualifiers are specific and federal — everything outside that list is carrier discretion.

Before you apply to any carrier, get your motor vehicle report from your state DMV. It costs $5–15. Carriers will pull it. You need to see exactly what they see before they see it.

Full CDL with a felony guide — state-by-state breakdown →

The conversation that determines everything

Most applications don’t die on the background check. They die in the interview — when the applicant gets asked about their record and either lies, over-explains, becomes defensive, or visibly panics.

All four responses are worse than the conviction itself. What employers running second-chance programs are looking for is not remorse. They’re looking for stability — someone who can state a fact plainly, take responsibility without drama, and redirect to capability. Four sentences handles it.

The formula

Example — drug conviction

Example — violent conviction

When to bring it up

Your next steps

You don’t need to apply to 100 companies this week. You need to apply to the right three this week and start building a record of employment. Here is the sequence that works.