For many felons, re-entry into society means finding housing in a decent neighborhood and finding a good support system in the form of a stable job and of course family and friends.
Many organizations are providing second chances for felons but still there are limited opportunities for felons out there.
If you wish to work at Georgia Pacific then there can be multiple job opportunities for you. But does Georgia Pacific hire people with criminal records? Let’s find out
Does Georgia Pacific hire Felons?
Yes. Georgia Pacific hires felons and is an extremely felon friendly company. They have multiple re-entry programs to train felons and make them job ready.
Georgia Pacific is one of the rare companies that have an official hiring policy for felons. In fact they take pride in giving second chances to felons as they believe it helps keep families together.
If you read an excerpt from an interview with Jenny Kim who is the Deputy General Counsel of Koch Industries, the parent company of Georgia Pacific, you will get a clear idea how much they believe in second chances.
“We really look at it as a win-win-win, for families and communities, for employers, and for the potential hires. Having a job lessens the chance that someone will commit another crime and end up back in prison, so it keeps families together.” – Jenny Kim,Deputy General Counsel, Koch Industries (Source)
Georgia Pacific is a part of the Ban-The-Box campaign and they have removed all questions related to criminal charges from their job applications. They also have re-entry programs that help felons get hired for suitable jobs.
Their parent company Koch Industries has partnered with Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) for the Getting Talent Back to Work pledge.
It provides employers with necessary research and legal knowledge to hire people with criminal background.
Does Georgia Pacific run background checks?
Yes, Georgia Pacific runs background checks on all potential hires. It is a part of their hiring process. Usually the background checks go back upto 7 years and include details on criminal history, driving records and identity verification.
Educational and previous employment records verification can also be a part of the hiring process. Background verification at Georgia Pacific is not very extensive compared to many other companies but they just do the basics.
Does Georgia Pacific conduct drug tests?
Georgia Pacific conducts drug tests while hiring new employees. Usually the drug test happens on the spot with a mouth swab but, in some locations, they also ask to submit a urine sample for a drug test. The type of test also depends on the type of role you are being hired for.
How to get hired at Georgia Pacific with a criminal record?
Georgia-Pacific is one of the world’s leading makers of tissue, pulp, packaging, building products and related chemicals.
You may recognize Georgia Pacific household brands, such as Brawny® paper towels, Quilted Northern® bath tissue and Dixie® cups and tableware. They also manufacture building materials like gypsum panels.
Georgia Pacific has over 30,000 employees working at 180+ locations worldwide. They provide employee benefits like medical plans, employee assistance programs, life insurance, disability benefits, tuition fee reimbursement, retirement benefits and much more.
You can start your hiring journey at Georgia Pacific by visiting their career portal. There are open vacancies in various positions in accounting, sales, marketing, engineering, maintenance, supply chain and skilled trades.
You can view job posting closer to your location and directly apply online. You can also set job alerts so that you get notified when certain jobs vacancies open up in future.
Georgia Pacific conducts behavior-based interviews and recommends researching this type of interviewing style to be prepared.
Once you apply for an open position, if your information indicates you have the qualifications and experience they are seeking, you may be contacted for further screening or for personal interviews.
Final Thoughts
Georgia Pacific is one of the most felony friendly companies out there. They have re-entry programs and training programs that make it easier for felons to transition into a job role. If there are job opportunities at Georgia Pacific near your location then you should definitely apply.