Does Kroger Hire Felons?

As someone with a criminal record, you face a more complicated job search than most people. In this article, we will be attempting to answer the question; does Kroger hire felons? Let’s get started.

Companies don’t often make their hiring policies public, and it can be hard to find solid information about your chances of getting hired with a felony on your record.

Kroger is a large retailer with numerous job openings available across its various grocery brands and in its distribution and supply chain. Many positions are entry-level and don’t require any special skills or experience. But the big question is, “do they hire felons?”

While many ex-felons can make fantastic employees, large employers are notoriously risk-averse. They need to be cautious about hiring people who could potentially steal from them or harm other staff members or customers.

And for companies like Kroger, where staff will deal directly with members of the public, they will not risk making their customers uneasy by making their hiring policy for felons public knowledge.

To help you decide if taking the time to apply for a job with Kroger is worthwhile, we’ve done some digging for you, and in this article, we’ll tell you everything you need to know as a felon before you apply to work at Krogers.

Does Kroger Hire Felons in 2024?

Yes, Kroger will hire some felons on a case-by-case basis.

They won’t dismiss your application out of hand, but that doesn’t mean that they will definitely hire you.

The type of felony offense you committed will play a major role in Kroger’s hiring decision. And they’ll also take into account how long ago the offense occurred, how long you’ve been out of prison, and what your record has been like since your release.

Having a felony conviction for theft, violence, fraud, weapons, or a sexual offense will count against you, and in all honesty, they will be very reluctant to hire you if you’ve got any of those offenses on your record.

The older your felony conviction, and the longer you’ve been out of prison, the better your chances of getting hired will be, especially if you’ve got some good post-release employment history on your record.

While we can’t guarantee your success if you apply for a job with this retailer, the answer to the question, “does Kroger hire felons?”, is yes, they do.

Has Kroger Signed Up To The Ban The Box Initiative?

Ban the box is the common term for the Fair Chance policy.

This initiative is part of a campaign that’s making substantial progress towards getting the question about criminal offenses removed from application forms.

The Fair Chance policy also encourages employers to evaluate candidates on their current worth, so that past mistakes don’t unfairly hurt the employment prospects of ex-offenders.

The “Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act of 2019” was signed into law in 2021 and now applies to most federal hiring. That’s good news, but more work has to be done to make Fair Chance universal.

Ban the box isn’t mandatory for private employers, and currently, private employers can still include the question on their application forms and use it to screen out ex-offenders.

Fortunately, Kroger has signed up to ban the box and has signed the Fair Chance Pledge. This means that you won’t have to answer any questions about your criminal background until you get to the interview.

What’s more, in April 2021, the Kroger company joined the Second Chance Business Coalition. The coalition promotes Second Chance employment and companies joining the coalition are committed to expanding employment opportunities for people with criminal backgrounds.

As a member of the coalition, Kroger won’t unfairly discriminate against you because of your history, they will interview you and evaluate you as a candidate and then decide if your felony offenses are compatible with working for the company or not.

In some areas, Kroger is working directly with local Reentry initiatives to hire ex-offenders. To find out about Reentry programs in your area, and to get more employment opportunities and access to skills training, go to your city council or state government website and search for “Reentry programs”.

Does Kroger Do A Background Check?

Running a background check has become standard practice with the majority of large companies, and Kroger is no exception. Whether you’re hoping to work at one of their stores or in their supply chain, to work at Kroger, you will have to pass a background check.

Kroger background check takes place after a successful interview. And if they contact you to get your consent for a background check, it means that they like you and want to hire you.

To avoid wasting your time and getting your hopes up, you should bring up your past offenses during your interview. Even if your interviewer doesn’t ask.

Be honest, tell your interviewer your situation and ask if your past will mean they can’t hire you.

In situations like this, it’s better to know right away than to wait around with your fingers crossed, only to get your hopes dashed a week or two later.

A background check will uncover everything about your past for at least the last 7 years. This includes your basic information and all felony convictions, misdemeanor convictions, arrests, charges, warrants, parole and probation, and driving offenses.

The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), which is a federal law, prohibits background checking companies from reporting history beyond the 7-year point, but unfortunately, the act doesn’t cover felony convictions.

Unless there is a reporting limitation at the state level, a felony that took place decades ago can still show up on your background check because there is no federal time limit concerning felonies.

The following states have passed laws that prevent background checks reporting felonies over 7 years old:

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

Is There A Pre-Employment Drug Test At Kroger?

Applicants for most hourly paid positions at Kroger don’t need to pass a drug test. The exceptions to this are pharmacy roles and driving jobs requiring a commercial driver’s license.

Store staff required to take a drug test are screened for drug use with a 5-panel drug test. Drug tests for drivers, however, are governed by Department of Transportation (DOT) rules and these rules state that a urine analysis must be carried out.

Both drug tests screen for:

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

Drugs can be detected in a saliva sample for up to 48 hours after the last use of a substance. However, depending on the level of use and the level of body fat, THC metabolites from marijuana may be detected for much longer.

With a urine sample analysis, drugs are normally undetectable after 4 days, except for marijuana. With light use, marijuana can be found up to 7 days after last use, and for heavy users and users with a high body fat percentage, THC metabolites can still be found several weeks after the last use.

Recommended: Everything about Kroger Drug Testing.

Does Kroger Warehouse Hire Felons?

Kroger has the same hiring requirement in place for their warehouse and supply chain as they do for their retail stores.

When you fill out your initial application, you won’t have to answer any questions about your felony.

After your interview, the hiring manager will assess your application, and if you’ve got the necessary skills and they decide you’re a good fit, they will order a background check.

The background check will report your felony conviction (unless it’s outside state time limits), then Kroger’s human resources department will make the final decision.

If you’re thinking about applying for a driving job that requires a commercial driver’s license, you’ll have to pass a drug test too.

FAQS on Kroger Hiring Felons

Does Kroger Hire Theft?

If you’ve got a conviction for theft, it’s very unlikely that Kroger will hire you. This is the case for both misdemeanor theft and felony theft.

If your theft conviction was a misdemeanor older than 7 years, then this won’t show on your background check and wouldn’t stand in your way. Felony convictions, however, can be reported no matter how long ago they occurred.

Is It Easy To Get A Job At Kroger?

If you’re applying for an entry-level job at Kroger, the hiring process is very straightforward. After filling out an application online or in-store, you’ll go through an easy phone interview, then be called in for a face-to-face interview.

At your interview, you’ll need to answer basic questions about why you want to work for Kroger, your previous work experience, and why Kroger should hire you. Then you just need to wait for your background check to give you the all-clear.

Summary.

Kroger has signed the Fair Chance Pledge and is a member of the Second Chance Business Coalition. Both of these initiatives are working to improve job prospects for ex-offenders. In some locations, Kroger works directly with Reentry organizations to help offenders find jobs.

As an ex-felon applying to work at Kroger, you won’t have to answer questions about your conviction on the application form but you should be prepared to talk honestly about your past during your interview, and you will have to pass a background check.

Kroger assesses applications on a case-by-case basis, and their hiring decision will take into account the nature of your felony offense, how long ago it occurred, and your record since release.

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