Generally the easiest place for anyone, including former felons, to get hired is at a fast food joint. But does Chick-fil-A hire felons? That’s a question we decided to investigate.
To do that, we looked into a bunch of questions like:
Successful Release even contacts companies directly to ask them about their hiring policy for former felons.
That’s great, right? But you may be wondering: How could we possibly know which questions should be asked? Well, the majority of us at Successful Release are former felons too! This is why we’re so focused on helping other former felons looking for jobs. Using our experiences makes the job search easier! See what we mean below.
Attr: Wikimedia Commons; Author: Michael Rivera
We regret that we were unable to make contact with anyone at Chick-fil-A, but we’re going to keep trying. In the meantime, we’ve done some digging of our own in order to bring you answers. We didn’t uncover anything that spoke on them having a specific hiring policy for former felons. However, take a look at what we did find on their website:
“Most Chick-fil-A restaurant businesses are locally owned and operated by independent, franchised Operators. They recruit, hire, train and manage their own employees, handle all matters regarding Team Member employment at their restaurants, and set their own employment policies and procedures.”
So, does Chick-fil-A hire felons? It sounds like they just might, but it’s up to each store owner.
Remember these restaurants are franchises, which means each location has slightly different rules and policies. We did find information from our online sources that said some Chick-fil-As will hire former felons and others won’t.
We’ve got some great tips on how to get a job at Chick-fil-A with a felony, so read on!
We didn’t uncover anything that touched on this topic. More than likely the answer will be the same as above: It will depend on the owner of that specific store.
One of the toughest parts of applying for a job with a criminal record is having to answer questions about your background. Everyone knows that some employers will see this section filled out and toss the application to the side. This is why there was a group of advocates (supporters of former felons) that created the Ban the Box campaign. This campaign is used to urge employers to remove these questions from their applications. By doing so, companies look at your application and base their decision off of your skills and not your criminal past.
The Fair Chance Business Pledge is another incentive for former felons looking for work. The Pledge is the official statement companies make when they’ve committed to fair hiring practices for everyone, including former felons.
Unfortunately, Chick-fil-A isn’t in support of these programs. But remember, a company doesn’t have to support these initiatives to hire a former felon.
Unfortunately, they don’t. But Chick-fil-A does offer tuition discounts and scholarships for their employees!
The odds of getting hired at Chick-fil-A with a felony are uncertain. We know that some locations will give the former felon a chance, but others won’t. Each location will be different.
But let’s keep reading to see how to get a job at Chick-fil-A with a felony!
Like most restaurants, the main entry-level position at Chick-fil-A is a general team member role. You’ll be on shifts and will be cleaning and doing food prep, mainly.
Here are a few things to keep in mind to better your chances of Chick-fil-A hiring you — even with a felony:
We couldn’t pin down an exact answer, unfortunately. That being said, it’s always best to be prepared.
Something to keep in mind regarding background checks:
Did you know that there are states that will only see an offense if it is less than seven years old? Yes! Here is a list of those states:
*Pay scale can impact what will show up on a background check.
The following states will see only guilty convictions:
Even though changes are being made, there are, unfortunately, states that will still look at everything. They are as follows:
Looking on glassdoor.com, we found that Chick-fil-A is rated with 3.9 out of 5 stars. This is actually a pretty good score for a fast food place!
What was the fan-favorite? You get free meals on your breaks for all shifts worked! The free meals and wonderful customer service are what helped them get their rating so high. But with the good, there is always bad. You’ll work long, stressful hours.
Chick-fil-A is a fast food restaurant that is prided on their customer service, so there are a few convictions that may give you a hard time getting your foot in the door. Here are a few we think they may look at closely:
Any violent or a sexual offense may prevent you from being hired since the majority of their positions will require working directly with the public.
You’ll handle money and credit cards in most of their positions, so any theft or fraudulent use of a credit card conviction might make your chance at getting hired here lower.
Nothing said a drug screen would be required by Chick-fil-A. This may be something that varies for each location, so we recommend you’re prepared anyway.
Do you have any experience working for Chick-fil-A? Do you know someone who has worked here with a felony? We appreciate your feedback!
Kristin is a Contributing Writer to Successful Release. After serving 12 1/2 years in prison Kristin enjoys helping others overcome some of the obstacles she also faced after her release. She is an avid supporter of AIM ( Aid to Inmate Mothers) and in her spare time she enjoys making crafts and spending time with her dog Tydus.
