Dashing, as it’s known, is an easy way to earn extra cash, and some people even manage to earn a full-time income. The entry requirements for DoorDash are low, but what if you’ve got a criminal record? Does DoorDash hire felons?
With the rapid rise of their restaurant takeout and grocery shopping home delivery service, DoorDash has regular openings for delivery personnel. When you deliver for DoorDash, you can use your car, scooter, or bike to make deliveries, or you can deliver on foot.
Does DoorDash Hire Felons in 2024?
Having a criminal record makes finding work a challenge and once you hear about DoorDash and the kind of money you can make with them, it’s natural to wonder, “Does DoorDash hire felons?” and could this be a viable way for you to make some money.
Well, the good news is that DoorDash doesn’t have an explicit policy that automatically rejects anyone with a felony on their record, and people with felonies have been hired by DoorDash in the past.
That’s not to say that DoorDash will hire every former felon. The type of felony you were convicted of and how long ago the felony occurred will influence their hiring decision.
To apply to deliver for DoorDash, the company states that you must be at least 18 years old, and if you are applying to drive for them, then you must have a vehicle and a valid, unrestricted driver’s license.
Before they hire new Dashers, DoorDash runs a background screen to check for criminal history and driving violations, so your past felony will be reported.
Is It Easy For A Felon To Get Hired At DoorDash?
How easy it will be for you to get hired with a felony on your record comes down to what type of felony you committed and how long ago the offense occurred. There’s a world of difference between being convicted of a felony for drug possession and a felony conviction for armed robbery.
The more serious your felony was, the more difficult your job hunt is going to be. If your felony was for violence or theft or sexual assault, then you will probably have your application declined based on your background check.
Can You Drive For DoorDash With A Misdemeanor?
Misdemeanors are less serious than felonies, so some non-driving misdemeanors probably won’t affect your chance to get hired by DoorDash and earn some extra money.
That said, if your conviction was for theft or assault, they could turn you down.
Because you need a clean driving record going back at least 3 years to work as a DoorDash delivery driver, any misdemeanor driving offenses during that period will disqualify you.
Has DoorDash Signed Up With Second Chance?
DoorDash isn’t currently listed as a Second Chance employer, but don’t let that deter you from applying. Being a Second Chance employer means that companies relax their hiring policy as much as possible to remove some of the barriers that felons face. However, they don’t guarantee a job to every felon that applies.
While DoorDash isn’t an official Second Chance employer, they will hire people with certain types of felonies in their past.
DoorDash hasn’t joined the Ban The Box initiative either, so when you apply you will have to check the box that asks you about criminal convictions.
Is There A DoorDash Background Check?
Ye, DoorDash carries out a background check on all applicants.
To apply to work with DoorDash, you need to be at least 18 years old and possess a valid Social Security number.
Agreeing to a background check is part of the application process. Your application cannot proceed unless you agree to the check.
DoorDash uses a third party to process their background checks. The company they use is called Checkr.
As well as verifying your identity and other personal background information, Checkr will search for your criminal records and carry out a driving record check.
How Far Back Does The DoorDash Background Check Go?
Most reports from Dashers on online forums like Reddit, Indeed, and Glassdoor, indicate that the background check goes back 7 years.
Seven years is the time period commonly searched by employers carrying out a pre-employment background check. But the background checks companies and employers are notoriously tight-lipped about their exact time frames.
Federal law does limit background checks for most aspects of your history to 7 years, but the 7-year limit doesn’t extend to felony convictions.
Misdemeanors and other arrest records cannot be reported beyond 7 years, though.
DoorDash only carries out the background check once the rest of your application is approved, so being notified that a background check is taking place should be an encouraging sign.
Your criminal background check will report any arrests, charges, pending charges, warrants, and convictions.
Your driving records check is called a Motor Vehicle Report (MVR). An MVR checks for the following:
- A valid and unrestricted driver’s license
- Any non-criminal violations like speeding tickets or accidents on your record.
- Any criminal citations like a DUI, or a reckless driving charge.
DoorDash won’t accept you onto their platform if you have more than 3 incidents on your driving record over the last 3 years.
As for felonies, even if you know that you have more recent felonies on your record, you should still apply as long as the offenses were of a less serious nature. Because if you don’t apply, you have no chance of getting hired. The application is quick, so you’ve got nothing to lose.
Does DoorDash Do A Yearly Background Check?
In order to maintain safety for their customers and their company reputation, DoorDash carries out yearly background checks to make sure that you haven’t committed any crimes or driving offenses during the period since your last background report.
If you fail a yearly background check, you may be deactivated, which means you cannot make any more deliveries.
Do You Have To Pass A Drug Test To Drive For DoorDash?
At the current time, DoorDash does not require you to pass a drug test to become a DoorDash driver.
However, your background check will reveal any drug offenses that you have been arrested, charged, or convicted of during the last 7 years. If drug offenses appear on your background check, they may decide not to hire you.
Recommended: Everything about DoorDash Drug Testing.
How Do DoorDash Drivers Get Paid?
With DoorDash, you have 3 payment options.
- You can get paid via a weekly direct deposit to your bank account.
- Daily payments can be made through Fast Pay for a small fee.
- Instant payments (no fee) after each delivery are available for those using the Dasher Direct debit card.
The money that you earn as a Dasher is made up of base pay, tips, and promotional payments.
Do DoorDash Drivers Need To Wear A Uniform?
You don’t need to wear a uniform when you deliver for DoorDash, but the company suggests that you wear clean, respectable clothing. Avoid revealing clothes like sleeveless or backless tops and tight shorts.
Because you’re an independent contractor, DoorDash cannot tell you what to wear, but you’ll get more tips from customers if you look professional.
DoorDash delivery drivers can opt to purchase branded DoorDash clothing like polo shirts, t-shirts, hoodies, and caps. Wearing DoorDash gear makes you instantly recognizable to restaurant and store staff, which means you have more chance of being dealt with quickly so you can meet your delivery targets.
Frequent Asked Questions (FAQs)
What Will Disqualify You From DoorDash?
To become a Dasher and make deliveries for DoorDash, you need to be at least 18 years old and possess a valid Social Security number.
DoorDash drivers must hold a valid, unrestricted driver’s license and have a clean driving record over the last 3 years. A criminal record could disqualify you, depending on the nature and the age of the offense.
Can You DoorDash Being A Felon?
Whether you can work for DoorDash with a felony on your record will depend on the type of felony you committed and how long ago the offense occurred.
DoorDash doesn’t have a blanket policy that automatically rejects felons, but your criminal record will show up during your background check. DoorDash will then evaluate your report to make their hiring decision.
Conclusion
As a felon, you should apply for as many jobs as you can, and you should prioritize applying to companies that are known to hire felons.
DoorDash is a company that doesn’t discriminate against felons, which means that you have a chance of getting approved to be an independent contractor on their platform.
As long as you meet their other hiring requirements and pass their background check, you’ll be able to make deliveries to customers and earn an income with tips added on top.
See This Too: Does HEB Hire 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.