Yes, Alton and Southern Railway does perform background checks. They told us that if the person who applies is the most qualified and is extended an offer of employment, they will perform a standard background check and analyze the results. This is good and bad, depending on your record. A background check won’t disqualify you from a job, but a certain felony may work against you.
Here’s what you need to know about background checks:
Some states don’t even look at offenses that are more than seven years old, so if you are on that sixth year, you may want to wait a year before applying. These states don’t look at your record if it’s seven years old:
- California
- Colorado*
- Kansas*
- Maryland*
- Massachusetts
- Montana
- Nevada
- New Hampshire*
- New York*
- Texas*
- Washington*
*sometimes certain pay or salary bracket positions require one.
Here is the list of states that do not consider court cases in which you were found not guilty:
- Alaska
- California
- Hawaii
- Indiana
- Kentucky
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- New York
Some states show everything on their background check process. Employers will even see cases in which you were found not guilty. If you are looking for a job in these states, employers will see your entire record:
- Alabama
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- Connecticut
- DC
- Delaware
- Florida
- Idaho
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Nebraska
- New Jersey
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oregon
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
Company ratings
Alton and Southern Railway has over a thousand reviews on the site glassdoor.com. They have an average score of 2.8 out of a possible 5, and 41% of people would recommend a friend.
There was a balance of positive and negative comments. The positive comments were associated with great benefits including health insurance, good safety culture, paid vacation and holidays, and an excellent retirement that was stated to be about three times the amount of social security benefits.
Some of the negative comments are typical, such as you can expect to work shift work, including nights and weekends. Also, promotions are generally based on seniority. Nothing negative about pay, though! None of these negative reviews are reason enough not to apply, however.
What felonies Alton and Southern Railway will not hire
They didn’t have any flat-out nos on this one, but we did get some “conviction-dependent” responses. See below.
What felony convictions might have a hard time getting hired here?
Depending on the job, your felony may prevent you from getting hired. There are other factors, like when the felony occurred and the nature of it, which may also impact your chances.
For example, the following convictions may make it harder to get hired here:
- Convictions related to robbery, burglary, larceny, etc. may give employers a hiring pause. However, again, it depends on your individual conviction.
- For sex crime convictions, the company will likely review each on a case-by-case basis. They may look at the position you are applying for, including the responsibilities and/or risks associated with that position.
Don’t avoid submitting your application for a job because you are worried about your record. Unless you apply, you won’t know what is going to happen.
Does Alton and Southern Railway hire sex offenders?
There’s a chance they do, but we can’t say for sure with no confirmation from the company. Please let us know what you’ve found.
Does Alton and Southern Railway drug test?
Although we were not able to determine their drug testing policy, we believe that drug tests are likely performed. Considering the nature of the work, this isn’t a surprise. Specific positions that involve the use of dangerous machinery may require drug testing.
Have you applied for a job or worked here before? Share your experiences!
If you’ve ever worked for this railroad company, or even in the industry, let us know how you got the job. Any tips you share will help your peers out.
Best of luck!