Yes, the hiring policy they gave us includes the following:
“We conduct background checks of each applicant after an offer has been extended.”
This means that your criminal record shouldn’t even come up until they’ve offered you a job. The policy goes on to say the following:
“We make background check determinations on a case-by-case basis, in consideration of all laws and regulations, as well as the nature of our business.”
You definitely want to put some thought into what you’ll say about your felony conviction or other criminal history when it comes up. Turn your past into a positive by talking about how you’ve learned and grown from your experiences and how you’ve moved your life in positive directions.
Here is some important information you should know about background checks:
Some states don’t even look at information that is more than seven years old. If your offense was six years ago, waiting a year before you apply is a good strategy. A felony conviction from seven or more years ago shouldn’t be a factor in the following states:
- California
- Colorado*
- Kansas*
- Maryland*
- Massachusetts
- Montana
- Nevada
- New Hampshire*
- New York*
- Texas*
- Washington*
* sometimes certain pay or salary bracket positions require one.
Other states are good about not looking at any cases where you were found not guilty. The states that won’t include not guilty cases in a background check are the following:
- Alaska
- California
- Hawaii
- Indiana (limited)
- Kentucky
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- New York
There are still many states that will look at your whole record, including any not guilty verdicts. Those states are:
- Alabama
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- Connecticut
- DC
- Delaware
- Florida
- Idaho
- Indiana (extensive)
- 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
What do people think of Jo-Ann as a place to work? Their page on glassdoor.com shows an overall 2.6 out of a possible 5 stars, based on 1,500 reviews. Among those, 34% would recommend working for Jo-Ann to a friend. Why did they get this rating?
Starting pay for entry-level positions tends to be at or a little above minimum wage. Benefits are provided, but the overall rating given on glassdoor.com for compensation and benefits is only 2.1 out of 5.
What felony convictions might have a hard time getting hired here?
Does Jo-Ann hire felons? We think they are open to it, but some felonies might hurt your chances. For example:
- All Team Members do cashier work, which means if your felony record includes theft or other money-related charges, your chances of getting hired will go way down.
- Because these are highly social positions requiring a lot of interactions with customers, any acts of violence in your record will be frowned upon.
Remember that your felony record shouldn’t come up in your initial application. If they offer you a job and do a background check, then you’ll need to be ready to talk about it.
Does Jo-Ann drug test?
From what we’ve seen online, Jo-Ann does not conduct any drug tests of applicants or employees at its retail stores.
Have you applied for a job or worked here? Share your experiences!
Please take this opportunity to help others who are facing the same challenges. Did the information in this article help you get a job at Jo-Ann with a felony?
Tell us any details you can, whether they’re good or bad so we can help others in the community!