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Chances are if you live in Ohio, Indiana or Kentucky, you have a LaRosa’s near you. It would make sense if, at one time or another, you’ve wondered: Does LaRosa’s Pizzeria hire felons?
They’re a well-known pizzeria that has been in business for over 60 years, but is LaRosa’s felon-friendly?
Relaunch Pad contacts employers directly to ask them about their hiring policies for former felons. We do this in hopes of making your job search a little less stressful. See, many of us at Relaunch Pad have a criminal history or have worked closely with someone who does. This is how we know what questions need to be asked in order to make your job search easier.
Here are a few of those important questions we answer to show you how to get hired at LaRosa’s Pizzeria with a record:
- What is LaRosa’s Pizzerias hiring policy?
- Does LaRosa’s Pizzeria hire people with misdemeanors?
- Does LaRosa’s Pizzeria do background checks?
- What felony will make it harder for you to get a job here?
Does LaRosa’s Pizzeria hire felons?
Official company policy for hiring felons
As promised, we contacted LaRosa’s and asked them about their hiring policy. Here is what they told us:
“We do not have a specific policy as each case can be different based on the job applied for, the length of time since felony and the type of felony. We allow everyone to apply and review each applicant’s work history and fit in the company.”
Has LaRosa’s Pizzeria hired felons in the past?
LaRosa’s didn’t provide us with an answer to this question, so we did some research of our own to try and find the answer for you. However, we found nothing that provided us with a concrete answer to this question.
Does LaRosa’s Pizzeria hire people with misdemeanors?
More often than not, people with misdemeanors get overlooked. We understand that they too have a difficult time finding jobs! This is why we looked for anything we could find that specifically spoke on this topic.
Unfortunately, there wasn’t anything we ran across that discussed if they’ve hired individuals with misdemeanors.
Is LaRosa’s Pizzeria on the Ban the Box List?
LaRosa’s isn’t one of the companies that is on the Ban the Box list. This isn’t uncommon, though.
Ban the Box is designed with the purpose of giving people with criminal convictions a fair opportunity at getting hired despite their past mistakes. Employers on this list remove all questions on their applications about criminal records.
Another incentive is the Fair Chance Business Pledge. This is an agreement made by companies that have chosen to commit to fair hiring practices for everyone, including former felons.
Even though LaRosa’s isn’t a supporter of either of these initiatives, that doesn’t mean you can’t be hired here.
Does LaRosa’s Pizzeria have special programs for hiring felons?
No, they don’t.
What are the odds someone with a felony will get hired?
The chances of getting a job at LaRosa’s Pizzeria with a felony are uncertain. While their policy is promising, nothing in our research showed that they have hired felons in the past. They’re also not part of any special initiatives for hiring former felons, so it’s difficult to say.
What are some entry-level jobs?
LaRosa’s is in the restaurant industry, so there will be many jobs to choose from. The majority will require interacting with the public, such as:
- Server — This job will require a lot of standing and serving customers. A friendly attitude, some basic math and multi-tasking skills, and being a team player are necessary for this job.
- Host — Meeting and greeting customers will be the main focus for this position. Your friendly face will be the first one seen when customers arrive. Customer service, interpersonal and cleaning skills are requirements for this job.
- Cook — Prepare food following standard recipes and special requests. Duties will include: Maintaining a clean and well-stocked preparation area, assembling food to be cooked, following cooking procedures, and cleaning.
- Driver — Requirements include: Must be 18 years old, have a valid driver’s license, reliable transportation, current car insurance, a good sense of direction, and basic math skills.
Now that we have an idea of some of the jobs they have to offer, let’s continue on to see how to get a job at LaRosa’s Pizzeria with a felony.
How to get hired at LaRosa’s Pizzeria with a felony
You may be thinking: It’s a pizzeria job, I probably won’t even need a resume. Wrong! There were a few things we noticed on their application that we want you to be prepared for.
They request that you provide at least three references. Keep in mind they want work references. These will be people who can speak of your work ethic and skills. Good examples of these are: Previous employers or supervisors, co-workers and even that neighbor who pays you to cut their grass each summer.
LaRosa’s will ask if you’ve ever been convicted of a felony, as well as the dates and details about it. We suggest for the details you mark “Will discuss in interview”.
The next step is uploading your cover letter and resume. The cover letter needs to be straightforward and should be fairly short. The purpose is to grasp their attention so they look at your resume. The secret to a great cover letter is selling your skills and showing your interest in the position you’re applying for.
Make sure you check out our resume guide for tips on dressing up your resume. We show you how to include skills you learned while you were incarcerated. For example: The kitchen job you had means you now have experience in a restaurant setting, as well as with cleaning and customer service. These particular skills are relevant to the jobs at LaRosa’s!
The last step will be the interview. Remember to relax and be yourself. Arriving early allows them to see that you will be on time and it also shows interest. The interview will be the best time to break the ice about your conviction. Be honest and use this time to your advantage. This will be your chance to let them see your character and answer any questions they may have — including those about your record!
This is the best opportunity to explain your situation and how you’ve used your past for growth.
Does LaRosa’s Pizzeria do background checks?
This is a great question. Everything we found suggests that they can, but this doesn’t necessarily mean that they do for all positions. We do know that they ask about previous convictions on their application — so be honest!
Something to keep in mind regarding background checks:
Did you know that there are several states that now will only look at an offense if it’s less than seven years old? Those states are as follows:
- California
- Colorado
- Kansas
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Montana
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New York
- Texas
- Washington
We now have eight states that’ll only see only guilty convictions. Here are those states:
- Alaska
- California
- Hawaii
- Indiana (limited check)
- Kentucky
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- New York
Sadly, we do still have states that will 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
Observing the reviews on glassdoor.com, LaRosa’s Pizzeria was rated with 3.5 out of 5 stars.
Reviewers say it’s an easy job with a flexible schedule, but it only pays minimum wage.
What felony convictions might have a hard time getting hired here?
LaRosa’s Pizzeria told us they consider people with records on a case-by-case basis. Since we know this, we believe there will be a few convictions they may be hesitant in hiring. They are as follows:
- Theft or fraudulent credit card use — Most positions here will have access to cash and credit cards, so these crimes may be frowned upon.
- Any violent or sexual charges — This will probably be looked at closely for all positions, since the majority of their jobs interact with the public.
- Any driving offense — If you are applying for a delivery position, you’ll have a difficult time with these offenses. You can’t have more than two points on your license.
Does LaRosa’s Pizzeria drug test?
Nothing was mentioned regarding a drug screen. We suggest anytime you are looking for a new job, it’s best to be prepared . . . just in case.
Have you applied for a job or worked here? Share your experiences!
What can you share with us about how to get a job at LaRosa’s Pizzeria with a felony? We welcome your comments!
