We actually already spoiled the answer to that question. The information was included in their response to our question about their hiring policies: They said they do check applicants’ backgrounds.
If they find a felony, it does not disqualify an applicant. However, that record is going to be weighed against the job you apply for.
That said, there are some things that you should know about background checks.
For one thing, there are some states that won’t look at felonies that are more than seven years old. This means that if your record stretches back eight years, they won’t know about it. Those states are:
- California
- Colorado*
- Kansas*
- Maryland*
- Massachusetts
- Montana
- Nevada
- New Hampshire*
- New York*
- Texas*
- Washington*
You’ll notice that California is on this list. Since many of Berkeley Labs’ employment opportunities are in California, that is good to see.
There are eight other states that don’t look at cases you were not convicted in. Here are those states:
- Alaska
- California
- Hawaii
- Indiana
- Kentucky
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- New York
Unfortunately, some states do make things difficult. These states see everything:
- 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
- Tennessee
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Company ratings
Let’s now look at how people feel about working at Berkeley Labs. According to glassdoor.com, most people are pretty happy there. The company has a 4 out of 5 potential stars. It loses a little bit of ground with satisfaction in compensation, but don’t let that stop you.
What felony convictions might have a hard time getting hired here?
Berkeley Labs told us that they do think about the nature of the felony as they make their hiring decision.
Which felonies will have a hard time getting a foot in the door is a little tricky to say, because there are a lot of different career paths there — each with its own requirements.
However, there are a couple of obvious things they might look out for. Sex crimes and violent offenses will draw their attention. Fraud and other related felonies that might make them hesitate to grant you security clearance will also be seen unfavorably.
These offenses generally give hiring managers pause when it comes to filling positions that feature a social element.
Does Berkeley Labs drug test?
If you look around the Berkeley Labs career page, you will see that they do use random drug tests.
Have you applied for a job or worked here? Share your experiences!
Your feedback really helps us, especially if you have experience with this company. Does Berkeley labs hire felons? We want to hear it from you!
Let us know what happened when you applied at or worked for Berkeley Labs so we can continue to improve the information we provide the community!