If you’re a Mr. or Ms. Fixit by nature and love tinkering with repairs around the house, you might be curious about working at a hardware store. To that end, we’re going to answer the question: Does Home Depot hire felons? Successful Release asked them directly.
As you likely know, Home Depot is a big-box hardware store. They serve homeowners and contractors with everything from small repairs and new appliances to major renovations.
If working there sounds exciting, read on to find answers to:
Our research and knowledge are second to none. What’s more, we have personal experience with the criminal justice system — as either being former felons or from assisting them. This makes our expertise invaluable!
When we asked the company about their hiring policy, we didn’t get any real answers from them. Here’s the response they sent:
“Thank you for your interest in employment with The Home Depot. The Home Depot is an EEO Employer that encourages applicants to apply for posted positions by visiting the career site at careers.homedepot.com. The first step is to have your clients complete the online application. All applicants must meet the minimum requirements to be considered for open positions. If your clients’ applications are selected, they may be contacted by email and/or phone to participate in an interview. The application will remain active in our system for 60 days.”
Despite this, we still have important information for you about how does Home Depot hire felons.
Yes, we found confirmation online that they have.
We believe they do. Of course, it will depend on the offense and the circumstances.
Yes, Home Depot is on the Ban the Box list. What’s more, they’ve also signed the Fair Chance Business Pledge!
These two programs really help former felons when they apply for work.
Companies that support Ban the Box don’t have a check box for criminal records on their job application. This shows they’re committed to looking at your job qualifications before your criminal history.
The Fair Chance Business Pledge is signed by employers who promise they’ll give every applicant fair consideration. This includes anyone with a criminal record.
So this is more confirmation that you can get a job at Home Depot with a felony!
Our research showed no special programs for hiring felons.
It’s our opinion that the odds you can get hired at Home Depot with a felony are high.
We base this on the following information:
Home Depot has over 2,000 stores and 90 distribution centers across the United States — the distinctive orange and white signs are everywhere! So, they could be hiring right in your neighborhood.
Here are examples of some entry-level jobs:
Distribution Center:
Retail Store:
Home Depot takes pride in the fact that more than 80% of store managers started as hourly associates. For instance, on their website they say:
“You might start out in one of our stores as an associate, but with a demonstrated knowledge and interest in a specific area, plus our product knowledge training and individual development programs, you could rise to specialist, department supervisor and into store management. And that’s just one path your retail career at The Home Depot could take.”
Therefore, if you’re looking for long-term employment with career opportunities, this is a great place to start.
Begin by looking at the careers page on the company website. You can search for job openings by type and location.
Also, there are some very helpful videos. For example, one explains what customer service involves at Home Depot and another outlines the company’s mission statement and values.
You can also go to your local Home Depot store and ask to leave your resume. This can be a good idea even if you’re applying online. Here’s how this move can help improve your chances to get a job at Home Depot with a felony:
Hiring at Home Depot seems to happen pretty fast, judging from online staff comments. So, here are some ways to prepare for your interview before you get called for one:
Yes. Home Depot will do a pre-employment background check.
According to online comments from employees, they check criminal records, credit history, previous employment and driving records. So, basically, you can expect them to check any information you provide on your application.
If you’re concerned about this, you can always do your own background check. One advantage of this is that you can try to correct anything that may not be accurate. For example, checking your credit history will make sure your credit score is based on correct information.
We have important information about background checks:
In certain states, background checks only go back seven years. Here are those states:
(* sometimes certain pay or salary bracket positions require one.)
However, in a few states charges where you were found not guilty aren’t considered. These states are:
Be warned, in the vast majority of states your whole record will be reviewed in a background check. And, this includes any not guilty verdicts. Here are the states that do this:
The company has some very decent ratings online from current and former employees.
On indeed.com Home Depot is rated 3.8 out of 5 by 42,500 reviewers. Highest marks are for culture and work life balance, followed by compensation and benefits.
What’s more, there are over 19,000 reviews on glassdoor.com that rate the company 3.5 out of 5. Sixty-six percent said they’d recommend the company to friend and 76% approve of the CEO.
On glassdoor.com, here’s what a former store manager liked about working for the company: “Customer service, meeting new people, diverse environment, day-to-day challenges, entrepreneurship, working with and inspiring the team to be their best each and every day.”
You can expect that the Home Depot will pay special attention to offenses involving theft, fraud or violence. If you have felony convictions for these offenses, be prepared to explain the situation.
The company will want to make sure they can trust you not to steal merchandise or fraudulently use customer credit cards or company funds. Furthermore, they’re looking for responsible staff who can work well with co-workers and deal appropriately with difficult customers.
Maybe you have a history of drug offenses? In this case, the hiring manager will want to know that you’ve completed any addictions program or counselling needed. Home Depot wants reliable staff who’ll be at work on time and function well on the job.
Finally, if you apply for a driving job with the company they check for driving offenses. They want to make sure you can be insured to drive company vehicles.
Yes. Employees confirmed online that they had to pass drug pre-screening before starting the job.
Now it’s your turn! Do you know how to get hired at Home Depot with a felony?
Our readers really want to hear from you!
Sandy Bell-Murray worked for more than thirty years for the Ontario public service, mainly in adult and youth justice. She began as a Probation and Parole Officer, then became a policy analyst, program supervisor and manager. Currently, she delivers workshops focused on building personal resilience and managing stress. She is an active member of Toastmasters International.
