Paul
Paul is a writer for Successful Release who lives in the midwest. He has a bachelor's degree in English Literature and is dedicated to providing accurate and insightful information to former offenders who are seeking employment.
The U.S. Bank is a large financial services company with branches all around the United States. Today we find out if they are a good place for you by answering the question: Does U.S. Bank hire felons?
At Successful Release, we aim to give former felons the best information we can get about potential job opportunities. To do this, we go to the source and ask companies directly about their hiring policies.
We also try to answer other key questions, such as:
We’ll even give you tips on how to get hired at U.S. Bank!
So, without further ado, read on to learn more about U.S. Bank’s hiring policies.
When we contacted U.S. Bank to find out if they hire former felons, here is what they told us:
“Having a felony conviction does not necessarily bar someone from employment with US Bank. As a bank, we are regulated by the federal government when it comes to who we are able to hire. Due to this, all potential employees of the bank must go through a criminal background screening, which is initiated once the candidate accepts the offer of employment. The offer is conditional of the candidate passing the background screening.
The regulations that we must adhere to are listed here and are public knowledge, easily located online:
- Section 19 of the FDIA (Federal Deposit Insurance Act)
- Regulation Z — for candidates applying to a NMLS covered role
The bank does also have Workplace Violence Prevention guidelines; however these are reviewed on a case-by-case basis and in compliance with applicable state laws.”
Ok, so what does all that mean? The most important part of their response is the part about Section 19 of the FDIA. What is that?
Section 19 of the FDIA is an old law that keeps people convicted of money crimes from working at financial institutions. This means that if you have a history of fraud or money laundering on your record, you legally cannot work at the bank.
So, does U.S. Bank hire felons? It looks like they might. It depends mostly on the felony.
Unfortunately, we’ve been unable to find any examples of U.S. Bank hiring felons in the past. That doesn’t mean that they haven’t done it, however. It just means we don’t have any readily available proof.
Based on the response that they gave us earlier, though, it seems very possible that they may have hired felons before.
It’s not enough to know if U.S. Bank will hire felons. Does U.S. Bank hire people with misdemeanors, as well? Unfortunately, they didn’t tell us.
They seem somewhat open to hiring people with felonies, so they probably will also hire people with misdemeanors.
The Ban the Box campaign is an effort to remove questions about your criminal record from job applications. The point is to help former criminals get considered for their skills, rather than their record.
There is also The Fair Chance Business Pledge. The Pledge is a promise companies sign to give applicants with a record the same chances of getting hired as anyone else.
Unfortunately, U.S. Bank has not signed this Pledge. However, there are lots of companies that hire former felons that haven’t signed it. In fact, as a financial institution, it’s not surprising they’d ask about a criminal record on the job application.
Unfortunately, U.S. Bank does not have any special programs from hiring former felons.
Let’s go over what we have learned again:
Does U.S. Bank Hire felons? It depends. Therefore, based on the information above, we list your chances to get a job at U.S. Bank with a felony as uncertain.
Some applicants will have a better chance than others. If you are highly qualified, you may still be able to find get a job at U.S. Bank with a felony.
There are actually lots of different careers at U.S. Bank. If you have an advanced degree, you may think about applying for an accounting position, or some sort of administrative work. These positions almost always require at least a bachelor’s degree.
However, the majority of applicants will probably need to start at a more basic level. Bank teller positions are one of their most widely available entry-level jobs.
There are also secretarial positions available in corporate offices.
U.S. Bank is a professional institution. For that reason, they are looking for candidates with a professional appearance and skill set.
This makes it very important to focus on how to get hired at U.S. Bank with a felony.
Nailing the application is a good first step towards getting hired. Make sure that you perfect your resume before you send it out.
A good resume is going to highlight all of your relevant skills, and showcase why you‘re right for the job.
If you are applying for a teller position, it helps to have experience with customer service. Experience with handling money will also help.
If you developed those skills through a prison job, feel free to mention that as well. It may help you demonstrate that your time in prison was a period of growth and learning.
To make sure that your resume is in good shape, have a second pair of eyes look at it. Don’t be afraid to ask a friend, family member or even someone at a career center to give you a hand.
If you nail the application, you need to start thinking about the interview. Remember that banks are very formal. You’re going to want to show up looking as professional as possible. Cover tattoos, remove unconventional piercings and wear your best interview-appropriate clothes.
As you speak with the interviewer, do your best to demonstrate why they should be comfortable having you represent their bank. Try to be relaxed, friendly and as natural as possible.
The company actually answered this one for us in their response. Does U.S. Bank do background checks? Yes, they do.
Here’s what you need to know about background checks:
For one thing, there are some states that won’t look farther than seven years back into your past. Here are those states:
There are also some states that won’t look at crimes you were found not guilty of. If you live in these eight states, only your guilty verdicts show up:
Finally, there are states that will look at everything. These include:
We checked glassdoor.com to find out what it’s like to work at U.S. Bank. For the most part, the reviews were positive. The company was rated at 3.5 out of a potential 5 stars.
As mentioned earlier, those convicted of fraud or money laundering are not eligible for employment at U.S. Bank. A record of theft of any kind is also probably not going to go over very well.
Finally, it is worth mentioning that most employers don’t look kindly on violent or sexual offenses when it comes to filling customer service positions.
U.S. Bank does drug test applicants and employees.
We’d like to hear your take on the company so we can improve our information and further help the community. What can you tell us about working for U.S. Bank?
Awesome information. Thank you.