Does FedEx Hire Felons?

Does FedEx hire felons, and if they do, are there certain felony offenses which will make it impossible to get a job at FedEx?

FedEx, like other package handling companies, has an enormous and complex operation, and a pressing need for the staff that makes sure billions of packages get to where they’re supposed to go.

At any time, they have thousands of open positions, and many entry-level positions require little in the way of skills or experience.

As long as you can meet the eligibility requirements, you can quickly find a full-time or part-time job with FedEx.

Having a criminal background is one thing that could stand in your way, though, even if you meet all of the other requirements.

In this article, we’ll go over what you should expect when you apply for a position at FedEx with a felony.

Does FedEx Hire Felons in 2024?

FedEx does hire felons, as long as the felony isn’t a very serious one, and doesn’t have a direct bearing on the type of job you’re applying for.

FedEx looks at applications on a case-by-case basis and doesn’t automatically reject applications from felons.

The more time that has passed since your conviction, the easier it will be to get hired, especially if you’ve got a reliable work record since that time. Time will definitely be an important factor if you’ve got multiple felonies, or a felony with a string of lesser convictions, on your record.

FedEx won’t ask about your convictions on your initial application, but it’s important, to be honest about your criminal record when you’re asked about it later on in the hiring process.

The type of offenses that will cause you problems are crimes involving violence, sexual offenses, and theft. For FedEx driving jobs, any felonies in the past 10 years will disqualify you and you’re unlikely to get hired with any other DUIs or drug-related offenses.

FedEx has hired felons in the past and many felons currently work for the company, so you certainly have a chance to find a job with them.

Is There A Background Check At FedEx?

All applicants need to pass a background check to work at FedEx. Don’t let that put you off, though. Don’t disqualify yourself because of self-doubt when they may very well have hired you if you applied.

As long as you’re honest about your conviction and don’t try to hide it, you have a good chance of being hired unless you committed a serious crime, or the offense is incompatible with the job you’re applying for.

For example, a DUI on your record would be a problem for a driving job, but it shouldn’t disqualify you from getting a package handler job at the warehouse.

You could be asked about your conviction during your interview, so make sure that you’ve practiced a brief explanation about your felony offense and how you’ve changed since that time.

It’s also a good idea to prepare a written statement that you can give to your interviewer. In an interview, you might not have much time to fully make your case, and you might not remember all of the points that you need to cover.

Reach out to churches in your area. Many churches are involved in volunteer efforts to help ex-offenders move on with their lives, and you should be able to find someone who can help you write an accurate, concise, and convincing statement.

How Far Back Does the FedEx Background Check Go?

The FedEx background check can go all the way back unless you live in a state where there’s a time limit on reporting felony offenses.

This means that an offense from 10 or 20 years will be visible on your background report. However, offenses on your background report won’t automatically result in rejection.

As long as you were honest when asked about any offenses during your interview or on the background check paperwork, you’ll have a chance of being hired.

But if you lied about your past, believing you could hide your conviction, then you wouldn’t get hired. All employers require honesty from their employees and lying during the hiring process shows that a person can’t be trusted and will lie if they need to.

If you’re interested to know how far back any company can go with a background check in your state, check the following list. These states limit felony background checks to 7 years:

• California
• Colorado
• Kansas
• Kentucky
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• Montana
• Nevado
• New Hampshire
• New Mexico
• New York
• Texas
• Washington

Does FedEx Do A Pre-employment Drug Test?

FedEx drug tests depend on the role you’ve applied for.

All driving positions will require a drug test, as will warehouse roles which involve operating heavy equipment.

Package handlers at FedEx Ground won’t usually need to take a pre-employment drug test, but drug tests are carried out at FedEx Express and FedEx Freight.

FedEx Office also carries out pre-employment drug testing.

Currently, FedEx uses urine drug tests to test for the most commonly abused illegal drugs following Department of Transportation rules.

Your urine sample will be tested for:

• Opioids
• Marijuana
• Cocaine
• Amphetamines and methamphetamine
• Phencyclidine (PCP)

If you fail a drug test, you will not be hired.

Show Yourself In Your Best Light At Your Interview

As we’ve already mentioned, FedEx assesses applicants on a case-by-case basis. You’ve got a felony which puts a big red X in your minus column. You need to do everything you can to put lots of green check marks in your plus column.

If the position you’re applying for requires a face-to-face interview, dress smartly. You might be applying for a role in a dusty, hot, warehouse, but you should still wear a smart outfit (polo shirt and slacks) to your interview. This shows respect for your interviewer and it also shows that you’re serious about the job.

Always begin your interview by thanking your interviewer for taking the time to meet with you.

Prepare a list of questions you can ask when you get to that part of the interview. Ask about the training process and whether there are any difficult aspects of the job you should know about.

Ask what makes an ideal employee as far as FedEx is concerned, find out if they do performance evaluations, and ask if you will have opportunities to progress with the company even though you’ve got a felony.

Let your interviewer know that you see this job as a valuable opportunity to work for a respected company. That you’re looking for an employer prepared to give you a chance and in return, you’ll work hard, follow the rules, and be someone they can count on.

Gather as many character references as you can. Contact previous employers and coworkers, your church, the organizers of any voluntary work you do, local business owners that you know, and your lawyer, to ask if they would be willing to provide a character reference for you.

Making an effort to get a job, shows your interviewer that you’re probably going to make an effort to keep the job.

Frequent Asked Questions (FAQs)

What Disqualifies You From Working At FedEx?

If you’ve been convicted of theft or any violent crimes, it’s unlikely that FedEx will hire you unless the offense happened a long time ago and your record since then is clean.

FedEx looks at applications on a case-by-case basis, and they’ll look at the nature of your offense, how long ago it happened, your record since that time, and your employment history to determine if they can hire you.

How Thorough Is FedEx Background Check?

FedEx conducts a thorough background check. Unless your state has placed a time limit on background checks, felony offenses will be discovered no matter how old they are. Under federal law, misdemeanors can only be reported over the last 7 years.

Having an offense on your record doesn’t mean that you won’t get hired, though. If your offense doesn’t have any bearing on the safety and security of company property or other employees, there’s a good chance you can get a job with FedEx.

Does FedEx Hire Felons? Final Thoughts

FedEx definitely hires felons, although some serious crimes will make it extremely unlikely that you could work for the packaging company.

You’ll need to be honest about your offenses during the hiring process because FedEx carries out a thorough background check on every applicant.

In many cases, having a felony won’t be a barrier to employment with FedEx, and the nature of your offense and the length of time that has passed since then will be taken into account when they assess your application.