Hy-Vee Hiring Overview For 2023

Is Hy-Vee on the Ban the Box list?

Have you ever heard of the Ban the Box campaign or the Fair Business Pledge? These incentives are designed to assist former felons in having an easier time finding employment, even with criminal records.

The sole purpose of the Ban the Box campaign is to eliminate the questions on applications about criminal history.

The Fair Chance Business Pledge is a commitment made by companies to practice fair hiring policies for everyone — former felon or not. The goal of the Pledge is to provide a fair chance at employment that’s based on skills, not on criminal history.

Hy-Vee doesn’t support either of these programs, but that’s okay because we already know they are willing to hire felons!

So read on to see how to get a job at Hy-Vee with a felony.

Does Hy-Vee have programs for hiring felons

Unfortunately, Hy-Vee doesn’t offer these programs.

What are the odds someone with a felony will get hired?

We are pleased to say the odds of a former felon getting hired at Hy-Vee are high. They told us they will hire felons!

Let’s see how to get hired at Hy-Vee with a felony.

What are some entry-level jobs?

Hy-Vee provides employment possibilities from corporate to retail to distribution jobs.

Here are a few positions we found with minimum requirements and experience:

• Night Stocker — This job requires unloading merchandise, opening items and stocking shelves. Must be able to lift up to 50 pounds. A high school diploma or GED is required.
• C-Store Clerk — Must be able to perform exceptional customer service while operating a cash register. No education or experience needed.
• Courtesy Clerk — This position is a customer service job. Packaging purchases and assisting customers with carry-out. Must be at least 19 years old and be able to lift up to 50 pounds.

If you have more experience and education, be sure to check out their job postings for a full list of all job opportunities offered.

Tips to get hired here with a felony

When we asked what the recommended approach was for applying, we were told:

“The best way to apply is through our website, Hy-Vee.com/careers. From there, they can look through all the open positions at the different locations.”

The application process will be the initial step. We recommend you review the job listings and apply to a job that you have qualifications for and interest in.

It’s best to have your resume ready when beginning the application. After all, the second step asks for your resume!

They have a section titled Prescreen that you should know about. In this section, they ask questions to see if you are willing to do the right thing when no one is looking as well as assess how you handle certain situations. Be sure to take your time when answering these questions. Employers often will ask the same question in several different ways to see if you are being honest.

The final step will be the interview process. Make sure you arrive 10-15 minutes early, as you would for any interview. Hy-Vee deals with the public so appearance will play a role in your first impression, so make sure you are neat and presentable.

Hy-Vee does ask about your criminal history on their job application, so the interview will be your opportunity to address this head on. Get it out of the way! Be ready to give examples of improvements and changes you have made in your life. This is your chance to sell yourself and convince them why they should hire you.

We asked Hy-Vee, and here is what we were told:

“It depends on the position and store. We do background checks on certain positions, and some stores do it on everyone.”

Something to keep in mind regarding background checks:

There are many states that now only look at an offense if it is less than seven years old.

The following are those states:

• California
• Colorado
• Kansas
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• Montana
• Nevada
• New Hampshire
• New York
• Texas
• Washington

The eight states below don’t look at anything you were not convicted of:

• Alaska
• California
• Hawaii
• Indiana (limited check)
• Kentucky
• Massachusetts
• Michigan
• New York

Unfortunately, there are some states that still look at everything.

The following are those states:

• Alabama
• Arizona
• Arkansas
• Connecticut
• DC
• Delaware
• Florida
• Idaho
• Indiana (extensive check)
• 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

Hy-Vee appears to be a fair place to work. Glassdoor.com rates them at 3.8 out of 5 stars.

Looking close at the reviews, we learned Hy-Vee has a high turnover rate, but they’re praised for paying 75% of your insurance. Wow!

What felonies Hy-Vee will not hire

The company didn’t give us the specific names of charges they will not hire, but there are a few that they will want to look more closely at. See below.

What felony convictions might have a hard time getting hired here?

Even though Hy-Vee hires felons, there may be a few felony convictions that are judged more harshly and will make it difficult for you to get hired.

For example:

• Since many of the jobs have access to merchandise; theft convictions, such as shoplifting, are likely to be frowned upon.
• Any drug conviction might be looked at closely. Hy-Vee conducts drug screens, so this may something that makes them give you a second look.
• Violent crimes will probably have an equally difficult time getting hired. Customer service is very important to this business and industry, so these crimes pose added barriers for you.

Does Hy-Vee hire sex offenders?

We’re not sure. They might, but they haven’t made it public if they have and no one has come forward about it.

Does Hy-Vee drug test?

Yes. Our research showed that Hy-Vee will perform a drug screen prior to hiring, usually during the interview.

Have you applied for a job or worked here? Share your experiences!

Do you have any information about getting hired at Hy-Vee with a felony or working here? If so, we want to hear from you!