Does H-E-B Hire Felons in 2021?

Are you a former felon trying to find work in Texas? If so, you’ve probably asked yourself the question: Does H-E-B hire felons?

H-E-B is a chain of grocery stores with over 350 locations throughout Texas and northern Mexico. If you live in Texas and you’ve wondered whether or not you can get a job at H-E-B with a felony, this article’s for you.

We’re going to answer each of these questions:

• Does H-E-B do background checks?
• How can I figure out if they’re hiring near me?
• Does H-E-B hire people with misdemeanors?
• What are the odds I’ll get hired with a felony?

Finding a job with a felony can be tough in any state. We contact companies directly and ask them if they hire former felons to make your job search easier. After we get their response, we look for additional information that’ll help you land the job. Why do we care so much about helping you? Our team is made up almost entirely of former felons and people who’ve worked with former offenders in the past.

We know life after prison can be challenging, and we want to help you find success!

With that in mind, let’s take a look at how to get hired at H-E-B with a felony.

Does H-E-B hire felons?

Official company policy for hiring felons

We contacted H-E-B directly to see if they hire former felons. Unfortunately, they didn’t respond. However, we were able to find detailed information in their online Partner Guide:

“We strive to maintain a safe workplace for our Partners, Customers, and Suppliers. We also want to maintain our strong relationship with our Communities. As a result, a criminal background check may be conducted before and/or after a Partner is hired. A criminal history will not necessarily exclude an applicant or Partner from employment. However, the existence of certain criminal misconduct, depending on the nature and the Partner’s job duties, may result in the loss of the Partner’s job.”

In short, the answer is yes, it’s possible to work at H-E-B with a felony. This doesn’t mean they will hire every former felon who applies. However, it shows they aren’t completely opposed to hiring someone with a criminal record.

Has H-E-B hired felons in the past?

Based on our research, it looks like H-E-B has been willing to hire former felons in the past. We found a statement online from a former felon saying they were hired, despite their conviction. This is great because it reinforces the policy we highlighted above.

It’s important to note that they make their hiring decisions based on the nature of an applicant’s offense. This means certain felonies may disqualify you from working here. We’ll take a look at some potentially disqualifying felonies in a later section.

Does H-E-B hire people with misdemeanors?

Based on the information in their Partner Guide, we know having a misdemeanor doesn’t automatically disqualify you from working here. Plus, we know they’ve hired former felons in the past, so it’s entirely possible they could hire someone with a misdemeanor. Just make sure you’re completely honest regarding your offense, as they will do a background check.

Is H-E-B on the Ban the Box list?

It’s a sad truth that some companies use questions about criminal records on their applications to screen for former felons. The Ban the Box Campaign’s goal is to remove questions about a person’s felony record from the application form.

Some companies go even further and delay any questions about an applicant’s criminal record until later in the hiring process. Signing the Fair Chance Business Pledge is one way employers can show they’re more interested in an applicant’s qualifications than their record.

We didn’t find any connection between H-E-B and these movements during our research. However, we know they’ve been willing to give felons a chance in the past.

Does H-E-B have special programs for hiring felons?

It doesn’t look like they do. This just means former felons will need to go through the normal application process.

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

After researching H-E-B and their hiring practices, Relaunch Pad believes your odds of getting hired here are average. Their hiring policy allows former felons to work here, and we know they’ve hired former offenders before. With that being the case, it’s possible you could get a job here as well.

If your crime was a misdemeanor, you might have an even better chance of working here. The key is being honest as you fill out your application, as we know they’ll verify the information with a background check.

What are some entry-level jobs?

There are a variety of entry-level jobs at H-E-B. Here are some examples (you can find what’s current on their careers site):

• Customer Service Assistant/Bagger — Bag groceries for customers and help them carry the items to their vehicle.
• Checker — Greet customers, scan their items and run the cash register.
• Department-Specific Customer Service Rep — Help with the day-to-day operations in a specific department like the bakery or deli.
• Delivery Driver — Deliver groceries to people’s homes or workplaces.
• Overnight Stocker — Make sure items are restocked overnight and new displays are set up properly.
• Overnight Sanitation — Responsible for cleaning the floors, windows and restrooms.

These are just some of the in-store opportunities. H-E-B also has positions available in areas like manufacturing, warehouse and transportation. They pride themselves on promoting within the company, so these positions could be the start of a long career here.

How to get hired at H-E-B with a felony

We know H-E-B has hired former offenders in the past. Now let’s look at how you can increase your chances of getting hired here with a criminal record. We’ll start by spending some time on your resume.

• The best place to start is by making sure your resume highlights your relevant experience. Have you worked at a grocery store before? Do you have other retail sales experience? If so, draw attention to these past jobs and the skills you gained from them.
• Take your time and do a good job on your resume. Not sure how to put a resume together? Check out our Guide to Resumes for Former Felons. We recommend asking someone at your local career center to check your resume for spelling and grammar issues when you’re done.
• When you’re sure it’s good-to-go, you’ll need to submit your application online.

Now it’s time to prep for the interview. If you’ve made it this far, congratulations! Here are some tips to help you land the gig at H-E-B:

• Employees working in H-E-B stores tend to wear khaki pants and a polo shirt, so wearing a similar outfit is probably a good idea.
• Start the interview out on a positive note by being on-time, or a little bit early.
• Be confident, especially if you have previous experience that makes you a good fit for the position you’re applying for.
• Carry yourself as though you’re ready to put on a red shirt and go to work. This kind of go-getter attitude will make you stand out from other applicants.
• Be honest if they ask about your past. We know they’ll do a background check, so hiding your past isn’t a good idea. Make sure you focus on the difference between who you were at the time of your offense versus who you are now.
• On that same note, it’s better to leave your prison tats and prison slang out of your interview. We recommend covering up tattoos until you know what the store/facility policy is. And foul language will probably make the wrong kind of impression.

Does H-E-B do background checks?

Yes. All of our sources agree H-E-B will do an extremely thorough background check. Knowing this is the case, be honest with the information you provide them. We know they’ve hired former felons before, so the fact that you have a record won’t disqualify you.

Here’s some helpful information about background checks:

Some states (including Texas) don’t consider information that’s over seven years old. This means the information about your offense may not come up if enough time has passed. Here’s a complete list of the states in this category:

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

(* Some positions could require a more thorough check.)

There are also several states where your background check won’t show any cases where you were found not guilty. Here are the states on that list:

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

In many states, a background check will reveal your entire record, even cases where you were found not guilty. Here’s a list of 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

We spent some time on glassdoor.com to see what employees had to say about working at H-E-B. Reviews from nearly 3,000 current and former employees left the company with a rating of 4.1 out of 5 stars. Eighty-five percent of these employees said they’d recommend H-E-B to a friend!

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

Does H-E-B hire felons? Our sources say they do. However, they have a strong desire to make sure their stores are safe places for their employees and customers. This may make it difficult to get hired here with certain types of felonies, like:

• Theft, if you’re applying for a position as a checker or stocker.
• Violent offenses, if you’re applying for an in-store position.
• Offenses involving a vehicle, if you’re applying for a delivery driver or transportation position.
• Sex offenses, if you’re applying for an in-store position.

Does H-E-B drug test?

H-E-B doesn’t drug test all of their new employees, but they do test some of them. This could vary based on the location or the position you’re being hired for. Your best bet is to be prepared for a drug test, in case you’re selected for an urinalysis.

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

If you’ve been able to get a job at H-E-B with a felony, we’d love to hear your story. What was the hiring process like for you? What advice would you give other former offenders applying here?