Supermarkets and grocery stores have a lot of entry level jobs like store helpers, warehouse workers and driving jobs that felons can easily get.
If you have prior experience working in supermarkets or if you enjoy working around people and helping them out then Hy-Vee can be your next workplace. But do they hire felons?
Does Hy-Vee hire felons?
Yes, Hy-Vee hires felons as long as they were not convicted for serious and violent crimes. Each applicant is evaluated individually on the basis of their merits. So every felon might not be hired.
Hy-Vee does not have a hiring policy when it comes to hiring people with criminal backgrounds. They are not a part of the Ban-The-Box campaign or Fair Chance Business Pledge. They even don’t have any special programs for hiring felons.
However, it is not necessary for an organization to be a part of any of these to become felony friendly. Based on the testimonies of past employees, we can say that they have hired felons in the past.
Felons who have been convicted for violent crimes like assault, burglary or arson might find it difficult to get hired. Felons who are repeat offenders might most likely get rejected.
If your felony records are older than 5-6 years and if you have maintained a clean record since your release then you have a much higher chance of getting hired.
Does Hy-Vee run background checks?
It depends. Whether or not Hy-Vee will run a background check depends on the position for which you have applied and also the store location.
Background checks are conducted at store locations where it is mandated by local laws but not at all locations.
Background check reports typically include details about criminal history, driving records, and identity verification. They might also include educational and work history details.
How extensive the background check can get depends on the position for which you have applied. Entry level jobs usually have basic detail verification.
As per the state laws, background check reports can vary. Some states include both guilty and non guilty conviction records in the reports while most other states exclude non guilty records.
Also, how far back the background check can go depends on the state in which you have applied for the job. Most states conduct background checks for a period of 7 years but it is not the same in every state.
Does Hy-Vee conduct drug tests?
Hy-Vee conducts drug tests while hiring for any position. It is usually done by collecting a mouth swab during the interview but employees at some locations have reported urine tests also.
How to get hired at Hy-Vee with a felony?
Hy-Vee is a grocery store chain that operates more than 240 retail stores in eight Midwestern states, including Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota and Wisconsin and employs more than 81,000 people.
Unlike most grocery or supermarket chains, Hy-Vee stores are not centrally controlled by the company. Hy-Vee stores operate autonomously. Each store decides its own inventories and sets its own prices and has their own hiring policies.
Hy-Vee offers employee benefits like paid vacations, wellness programs, service recognition, flexible scheduling, a generous bonus system and a pleasant work environment.
If you wish to work at Hy-Vee, you can visit their job search page and find job openings that match your skills. You can directly apply online by submitting your resume and filling in some details about your education, skills, previous employment details and some pre-screening questions.
If your profile is shortlisted, you will be called for a personal interview. For the actual interview, they just ask you questions about yourself and why you want to work there.
Final Thoughts
In recent time, many initiatives like ban-the-box campaigns have been started to give second chances to felons. Many organizations have willingly come forward to be a part of such movements and hire felons. However, there are still limited opportunities for felons.
So it is advisable to apply for as many jobs as possible and attend interviews even if you face rejections initially. Each experience makes you better and improves your chances of getting hired.