Making deliveries for Amazon as an independent Amazon Flex driver is a popular way of earning a second income, and if you’re prepared to work hard, it’s possible to make a full-time wage.
The entry requirements for this delivery job are low, but as an individual with a criminal record, you’re no doubt wondering, does Amazon Flex hire felons?
Well, that’s a good question.
It makes sense that you don’t want to get your hopes up or waste your time applying for Amazon Flex if you’re going to get an automatic rejection because of your felony.
Honest Answer – Does Amazon Flex Hire Felons in 2024?
Usually, no.
If your felony is older than 7 years and not of a very serious nature, Amazon might accept you as an independent driver for Amazon Flex. Notice we said might and not will.
No one can say with any certainty that an old felony won’t disqualify you. But there are individuals with old criminal records driving for Amazon Flex, so you could be hired. It depends on how far back they search during your background check.
If you have had a felony conviction in the past 7 years though, it’s extremely unlikely that you can drive for Amazon Flex.
Though driving for Amazon Flex looks like an attractive option for anyone who prefers to work independently, it’s the independent nature of the job that makes Amazon extra careful about who they hire as drivers to work without any supervision.
Because Flex drivers handle thousands of dollars worth of goods and have direct contact with customers, Amazon is only interested in hiring the most trustworthy people.
And since Amazon has no shortage of applicants for their Flex delivery program, they can be as picky as they like.
If your felony disqualifies you from working for Amazon Flex, you might have better luck applying to work directly for Amazon in one of their warehouses or fulfillment centers.
Now, if you have an older felony conviction and it wasn’t for theft or violent behavior, then you could decide that it’s worth your while to apply. So let’s run through the process in some more detail.
What Does An Amazon Flex Driver Do?
Amazon Flex drivers deliver packages to Amazon customers over what is known as “the last mile”.
It’s not actually a mile, just the last stage of the delivery process.
With Flex, you have several delivery opportunities available to you.
- Pick up Amazon.com deliveries from an Amazon logistics station, and deliver them to customers over a 3 to 6-hour delivery block.
- Book a shorter 2 to 4-hour delivery block and pick up Prime Now and Amazon Fresh deliveries.
- Deliver orders picked up from local stores during a 2 to 4-hour delivery block.
The work is very straightforward, and you don’t need any special skills or experience to deliver for Amazon Flex. Although being an organized person will make it much easier to get your work done on time.
What Are The Requirements For Amazon Flex Drivers?
To drive for Amazon Flex, you need to be at least 21 years old and hold a valid U.S.-issued driver’s license and social security number.
- You should have a high school diploma or GED.
- To get paid, you must have a bank account that can accept direct deposits.
- This is an independent contractor position, so you need your own vehicle, auto insurance, and a smartphone.
Amazon states that your vehicle must be a 4-door sedan at a minimum, although a van or a truck with a covered bed will let you transport packages more easily.
Because all of your work is carried out with the Amazon Flex App, your smartphone needs to be a newer model that can run the app.
Amazon specifies you should have either an Android phone running Android 6 or newer, with at least 2GB of RAM, a SIM card, a camera (with flash), and GPS.
Or, an iPhone 6 or newer, running at least iOS 13.
Before you can begin delivering for Amazon Flex, you must pass an amazon flex background check and complete a training session by watching a series of videos that teach you how to do all aspects of your job.
At this time, it’s unclear if you’ll be asked to take a drug test. All hourly paid employees directly hired by Amazon have to take a drug test, but as an independent contractor, this may not apply to you.
Some Flex drivers say they were drug tested while others have said they didn’t have to take a drug test.
To play it safe, assume you will be drug tested, and it goes without saying, don’t use drugs on the job.
To apply for a job driving with Amazon Flex, you’ll need an Amazon account, then you can download the Flex App and complete the quick application.
How Far Back Does The Amazon Background Check Go?
Amazon runs a background check that goes back at least 7 years. Pre-employment background screenings are covered by the Fair Credit Reporting Act.
As an independent contractor, you should be covered by the Act in the same way as to direct employees, but this isn’t certain, as the law isn’t clear on this point.
The Fair Credit Reporting Act doesn’t allow some information about you to be reported after 7 years, but you should know that felonies aren’t subject to this limitation.
After 7 years, your background check cannot report any arrest or adverse information about non-convictions.
But if Amazon searches for further than 7 years, your felony convictions will show up unless your state has rules in place prohibiting this.
You should know that Amazon will carry out a criminal record background screening even if you choose to hide your felony when you make your application.
How Much Do Amazon Flex Drivers Make?
The hourly rate for Flex drivers is $18 to $25 an hour, but during busy periods, that rate can go higher.
When you search for delivery blocks, you’ll see the rate that you’ll be paid.
Amazon pays Flex drivers twice a week after processing payments every Tuesday and Friday. They make payments via direct deposit and your money should be in your bank account the following day.
The actual amount you can earn will depend on how many blocks you manage to book.
If many drivers are competing for blocks, you may not earn as much as you would like to. And because blocks aren’t guaranteed, it’s not the best idea to rely on Amazon Flex as your only source of income.
Remember that you will need to deduct some expenses from your income. As an independent contractor, you are responsible for fuel costs, tolls, parking fees and fines, speeding tickets, vehicle maintenance and repair, and self-employment taxes.
The extra mileage on your vehicle will also result in faster depreciation, so look into what those miles will mean for your particular vehicle.
If you estimate you will drive an extra 10,000 miles a year working for Flex, look up your make, model and year in Kelley’s Blue Book and get a valuation on that mileage figure, so you can make an informed decision and accurately estimate your real take-home pay.
By the way, don’t forget that you’ll have to keep track of your expenses so you can file your taxes.
Keep receipts and bank statements showing every expense associated with your driving job, and get into a daily habit of noting each expense on an expenses sheet or in an accounting app.
Amazon Flex Hiring Process FAQ
Can People With Felonies Work At Amazon?
Yes, Amazon hires felons for some jobs. They don’t hire all felons, though. The type of offense you committed will have a big impact on your prospects for a job with Amazon.
And the more recent your felony, the less likely your chances of being hired. Amazon carries out background checks on all prospective employees and will make their hiring decision based on the information they discover about you.
What Disqualifies You From Driving For Amazon?
You can’t drive for Amazon if you are under 21, don’t have a valid U.S. driver’s license, clean driving record, valid social security number, a suitable vehicle, or auto insurance.
Any felonies on your criminal record within the last 7 years will most likely disqualify you, too. An older felony, depending on its nature, might not prevent you from getting a driving job with Amazon.
What Happens After Background Check Amazon Flex?
If your background check is approved by Amazon Flex, you can work as a delivery driver. You’ll need to watch a series of training videos so that you know how to do the job properly.
Amazon also needs your tax and payment information at this stage. Once you’ve provided your information, you can start booking delivery blocks and begin work.
Read Also: Does Amazon Drug Test New Hire?
Summing Up
Driving for Amazon Flex can work out really well as an extra source of income.
You get to be your own boss, choose your own hours, wear whatever you like, and listen to your favorite music or podcasts while you work.
You’ll work as an independent contractor and be responsible for certain expenses which make your actual take-home pay lower than the hourly rate advertised.
Unfortunately, as a felon, you don’t stand a good chance of getting hired if your conviction is recent, but if your felony is over 7 years old, you should apply and see if you get accepted.
If you get rejected by Flex, you can still apply to work directly for Amazon, because they do hire some felons for various positions.
See Also: What We Know About Amazon Hiring Felons.
Robert Eric (a lover of Cats and Dogs) is the co-founder of HireFelonsJobs. In our search for a better life, after… A platform was created for the purpose of easing the search for ex-convicts.