Have you ever thought about working in a fast-paced grocery store environment? If you have, you may have wondered, does Market Basket hire felons? Market Basket has 79 stores in the northeastern United States, so we wanted to find out how easy it would be for you to get a job there.
Relaunch Pad will give you some great tips on how to get a job at Market Basket with a felony. We know this may be a great place for you to get an entry-level job, so we spoke directly to Market Basket to get some answers about their hiring policy. We also researched other important questions you may have, such as:
- Does Market Basket do background checks?
- What are their entry-level positions?
- Does Market Basket hire people with misdemeanors?
- Does Market Basket drug test employees?
Now, let’s find out how to get a job at Market Basket with a felony.
Does Market Basket Hire Felons?
Official company policy for hiring felons
Unfortunately, when we asked Market Basket what their policy was regarding hiring felons, they didn’t give us a detailed answer:
“All hiring is done through the store management teams.”
We know you’re wondering how that helps. Don’t worry; we did some more digging for you. Keep reading!
Have they hired felons in the past?
We have no information from the company regarding whether or not they have hired felons in the past. We searched extensively and could not find an answer to whether or not they have hired felons in the past.
Does Market Basket hire people with misdemeanors?
We don’t know if Market Basket has hired people with misdemeanors.
Is Market Basket on the Ban the Box list?
There are two programs that have helped to limit the discrimination people with a record face when looking for a job: The Ban the Box campaign and the Fair Chance Business Pledge.
Ban the Box has been successful in convincing many companies to remove criminal history questions from their applications. Thousands of companies have done so. The Fair Chance Business Pledge encourages employers to give more opportunities to those with a record.
We are happy to report that Market Basket does not ask about your criminal history on their application.
Does Market Basket have any special programs for hiring felons?
Market Basket did not say, and we didn’t find any information in our research. However, you should always check with your local job placement centers and unemployment offices. They usually have programs designed specifically for helping men and women with a record get back to work.
What are the odds someone with a felony will get hired?
We think the odds of getting hired at Market Basket with a felony are uncertain.
We base this on the fact that hiring is up to individual store managers and that we can’t find evidence they hired people with records before.
Since there is no company policy prohibiting hiring felons, there may be some managers who are willing to take a chance on someone with a record, however.
What are some entry-level jobs?
Market Basket’s job website is not very specific when it comes to listing their entry-level jobs. That being said, we know that most grocery stores have the following positions:
- Shelf stockers
- Cashiers
- Janitorial services
- Grocery baggers
Aside from store positions, Market Basket also advertises for the following positions:
- Diesel mechanics
- Refrigeration technicians
- Experienced meat cutters
If you want to work in the back or in certain skilled roles, these might be a better fit.
Now that you know what you want to do, you need to figure out how to get hired at Market Basket. Let’s look at that next.
How to get hired at Market Basket with a felony
Based on the information from Market Basket’s website, their application process is simple. You download and print their application form, fill it out, then bring it to the nearest Market Basket store to you.
They don’t post open store positions online, so you won’t know what they are hiring for until you get there. That’s okay! This process can actually benefit you. This is a good chance to make a great first impression.
Bring a fresh resume to hand in with your application. Before you go, read it over. How does it look?
Don’t worry if can’t answer that question. We know that it may have some gaps. We’ve created a guide to help you make a great resume, despite those gaps. You may have more experience and skills than you know.
Your resume should not be limited to the jobs you’ve had in the “real world.”
You’ve undoubtedly held jobs in prison. Guess what? Those count! We know there are plenty of jobs in prison that teach valuable work-related skills like teamwork, communication, cleanliness and more. Also, if you took any vocational classes while you were incarcerated, they count as well.
When you bring your application in, dress to impress. You never know if they need to hire someone immediately. Make sure you are well-groomed, dressed nicely and your teeth are brushed.
Also, for your first visit and any follow-up interviews, cover your visible tattoos. We aren’t sure about the company policy on them, so it is better to be safe than sorry.
They may not ask you about your criminal history in an interview, but don’t be afraid to answer truthfully if they do. It would help to practice answering some questions they may ask ahead of time:
- Why do you think you would be a good fit for this company?
- What is your work experience?
- Do you have any criminal convictions?
Does Market Basket do background checks?
Market Basket did not confirm if they perform background checks, and we could not find anything in our research saying they do or don’t. We would guess that background checks are required for supervisor and management positions, though.
Here’s what you need to know about background checks:
There are several states that do not show any of your criminal history that is older than seven years. Here are those states:
- California
- Colorado*
- Kansas*
- Maryland*
- Massachusetts
- Montana
- Nevada
- New Hampshire*
- New York*
- Texas*
- Washington*
*sometimes certain pay or salary bracket positions require one.
There are some states that show only guilty convictions on a background check. The charges in which you were found not guilty are not shown at all in these states:
- Alaska
- California
- Hawaii
- Indiana
- Kentucky
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- New York
These states show everything on the background checks, whether you were found guilty or not guilty:
- Alabama
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- Connecticut
- DC
- Delaware
- Florida
- Idaho
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Nebraska
- New Jersey
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oregon
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
Company ratings
Market Basket scores a 3.4 out of a possible 5 on the website glassdoor.com and 63% of people would recommend working there to a friend.
People loved the flexible work hours at most locations and they said the pay was good for entry-level positions. Many people said they liked the fast-paced work environment.
Most of the criticisms revolved around management, but that doesn’t reflect all stores.
What felony convictions might have a hard time getting hired here?
We know you may still be wondering, does Market Basket hire felons? You also want to know if there are certain convictions that would keep you from getting a job there if they do.
You should always be aware of how your specific record may affect the jobs you apply for. For example, theft convictions may prevent you from working around money. This may especially be true if you want to move into management positions.
Many grocery store positions require you to be around customers regularly. Because of this, the store may be wary of hiring people convicted of sex crimes, especially those involving a minor.
While they may not ask about criminal history when hiring you, be aware that they may still find out if you are a registered sex offender.
Does Market Basket drug test?
We didn’t find any information about whether or not Market Basket drug tests employees, but we think they probably do for jobs like meat cutting, food prep and management.
Have you applied for a job or worked here before? Share your experiences!
Have you ever worked for Market Basket? If you have, any feedback you leave for our readers would really help. Leave your comments below. Thanks for reading!