McDonald's

Likelihood

High chance employer

17141 Job(s)

McDonald's Hiring Overview For 2023

Website https://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en-us.html

Founded 1955

Type Public

Headquarters Chicago, IL

Size Large Corporation

Industry Restaurant

If McDonald’s hires felons, would you be ready to apply today? Don’t worry if you said no, because we’ve got you covered! We’ve been in contact with the company to find out, and also to answer other common questions, like:

Does McDonald’s hire people with misdemeanors?
How do I get a job there?
Does McDonald’s do background checks?
Will my felony disqualify me for a spot in the restaurant?

McDonald’s is definitely the most famous player in the fast-food industry and is well-known for its delicious burgers and desserts, so you will be happy to know that it is possible to get a job at McDonald’s with a felony!

How do we know? We did a lot of research online, sure. But we also asked McDonald’s directly about their hiring policies for former offenders. We have done this more than 1,000 times across the US, so we have a really good idea of what we’re talking about.

We know that being an ex-felon does not define you. Our team understands what it is to be a felon looking for a job opportunity. We have extensive experience dealing with former felons and many of our employees have records themselves. Let our experience getting jobs, despite our backgrounds, help you!

Relaunch Pad is committed to helping former felons achieve a normal life.

Here is what we know on how to get hired at McDonald’s.

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Does McDonald’s hire felons?

Confirmed felon employer

Official company policy for hiring felons

When we contacted McDonald’s employment service center to ask if they hire former felons, we got the following response:

The employment service center is not allowed to disclose information regarding the hiring process of new employees. If you are interested in a job opportunity at McDonald’s, contact the restaurants near you.

Even though the answer given by the restaurant chain was uncertain, when you visit websites such as Indeed and Glassdoor you will be able to easily find information saying that the company does hire felons. So, we basically have a yes. Other communities also state that the business is willing to give former felons job opportunities, no problem!

Has McDonald’s hired felons in the past?

The short answer is: Yes! McDonald’s is a company that has hired felons in the past. In fact the company gives equal opportunities. This is not some nice sentence we saw on their website. We found many testimonies on the web (on forums, Indeed and Glassdoor) stating that the company gives equal opportunities, even when it comes to felons.

Does McDonald’s hire people with misdemeanors?

Yes, the restaurant is incredibly open to anyone looking for a job. This includes those with disabilities, no prior on-the-job experience or even if you’ve had misdemeanors.

Will McDonald’s hire you with pending charges?

The company didn’t say, but we have a strong feeling they will since they’re known for hiring convicted offenders. It will depend on the charges, as always.

Current Job Openings At McDonald's

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Reviews

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Interviews

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What are the chances of McDonald's hiring a felon?

Is McDonald’s on the Ban the Box list?

Have you ever heard of Ban the Box? It is a campaign that aims at protecting felons by having companies look at felons through a positive light. These companies do not add any boxes on their applications asking if you have a record! McDonald’s is part of this initiative!

If you visit this link, you will find almost 500 companies that have signed the Fair Chance Business Pledge. This Pledge promises to provide offender aid and restoration through job opportunities and no prejudice.

While they have the right idea on their hiring policies, they aren’t currently on either of these lists.

Does McDonald’s have special programs for hiring felons?

Does McDonald’s hire felons? Yes! However, they don’t have any special programs for it.

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

High likelihood of hiring felons

The likelihood of a former felon to get a job at McDonald’s is high. We base this on the following:

They provide people with a record a chance for a new beginning.
They are part of the Fair Chance Pledge Companies.
Their employment culture is being open to every individual.
Former felons have gotten jobs here before.

How to get hired at McDonald’s with a felony

What are some entry-level jobs?

At McDonald’s, the main entry-level jobs are cashier, kitchen crew and general cleaning. If you’ve ever been to one, you’ll have an idea of the type of work they do. Next time you’re there, take a look! It might give you some ideas of where you want to start.

Since they are a fast food restaurant, they need lots of employees — especially when we know some locations are open 24/7!

Tips to get hired here with a felony

Now that you know McDonald’s offers solid job opportunities for you, it is time to get your resume ready. Here’s what you need to do:

Highlight your experience

You probably have some sort of relevant experience. Think about the following:

Kitchen work — Any time you handled food for work counts. Whether this was in another restaurant or a prison kitchen, you gained valuable job skills!
Cleaning — If you are good at organizing and tidying up this will be the perfect start for you!
Cashier — If you are good with people and used to a fast-paced environment, then you will definitely find this job a perfect fit for you.

Make it look good

Having a well formatted resume does matter — you can have local spots in your town help you create your own resume. Make sure the formatting, punctuation and grammar are up to snuff!

Do some research

You can also access their website and check the hiring process on their careers page. If you prefer, you can go to your local Mcdonald’s and deliver your resume the old-fashioned way.

What about the interview?

Now, if you’ve been granted an interview, congratulations! Before you start fretting, here are some of our best interview tips for you:

Make sure you wear business casual. There’s no need to buy fancy clothes, though. Nice pants and a dress shirt will work.
Having clean nails and hair are a must. You should also make sure any facial hair is trimmed.

During the interview, make eye contact. It will show confidence. Prepare yourself for a few questions about your past and your work history. If you’re not sure how to do that, check out your local career center for tips or ask a friend to help you!

Does McDonald’s do background checks?

It is impossible to deny that most companies do check your background before considering you for the job position. But that is not everything that employers check: They will also verify your school history, driving record, credit history and much more.

As McDonald’s does not disclose its background check process, we did some research for you.

We filled out an application to see what they look for in a background check. To our surprise, there was no box asking for permission to run one!

Here’s what you need to know about background checks:

Some states don’t allow access to old records. These states won’t look at felonies that happened seven years or more ago. Yes, that is great news! Below are the states that follow the seven year rule:

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

Certain states will not show your not guilty court cases. There are eight states that do that in the USA:

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

As for the states below, they will run a complete background check showing as much information as there could be:

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

Here are the McDonald’s ratings and reviews you have always wanted to know. On glassdoor.com, they show over 22,000 reviews from previous employees. Their general rating is 3.3 out of 5, and 56% of previous employees do recommend the company to a friend. Apart from that, 72% approve the company’s CEO.

Most of the reviews come from people who found entry-level jobs, which is exactly what felons will be aiming for at the beginning of the job hunt! There’s a lot of information about what it’s like to work at McDonald’s and the interview process. You will find the information to be very valuable.

What felonies McDonald’s will not hire

There are some charges and circumstances that will make McDonald’s turn you away, but we aren’t sure specifically which ones those are. They didn’t share that with us.

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

There’s no official response to this question, even though McDonald’s is felon-friendly. Of course, people who have had theft charges will probably not land a job dealing with money. Other potential hurdles include violent offenses, since this is also a family-friendly place where you’ll be dealing with lots of people and expensive equipment.

As long as your record doesn’t overlap with the job you’re applying for, you should have a shot!

Does McDonald’s hire sex offenders?

We don’t know! They might, but they haven’t made that information public.

Does McDonald’s drug test?

Unfortunately, we don’t have official information regarding this matter. The best option is to think that they do run drug tests on possible employees. Staying sober is the best option for those who want to find a good job fast and get their life back on the right track.

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

There are tons of other felons that are asking themselves if they can get a job at McDonald’s with a felony. Let’s help the community by sharing your experience with the company!

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