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21 Certain Ways to Find Jobs for Felons in Irvine in 2023

By Last update August 15, 2022
Irvine California downtown

Looking for a new job can be challenging, but it is much more difficult for someone with a record. This article was created to make your search much easier by giving you some solid resources to guide you on locating jobs for felons in Irvine, California. 

We have  a wonderful team of researchers, and they contacted over 1,000 companies to document hiring practices and the likelihood of hiring former felons. Our website also has a lot of great information that will help you make progress in relaunching your life positively. Our mission is to provide you with information based on experiences, because many of us have faced the same challenges you do now.

The rest of this article will give you details and a list of local businesses that are good candidates for companies that hire felons in Irvine. 

Jobs that hire felons in Irvine

Irvine California cityscape

Irvine is located in Orange County in southern California, has a population of over 300,000 people, and was originally a farming and ranching community, but today it is home to many technology companies and higher education institutions. It also has a very diverse economy, which definitely presents a lot of opportunities for jobs.

If you know the type of job that you are looking for, then check out our excellent search tool. You can narrow your search by using the fields (job type, industry, etc.) and focus on the best openings for jobs that hire felons in Irvine. 

Top companies that hire felons in Irvine

Former felons restarting their careers tend to start out going for positions that match the skills they have and may include extensive experience, training, and education. This approach is not often successful. Entry-level jobs are almost always the best way to get restarted in the working world. They are plentiful and many have few requirements. If you’re really looking to get employed quickly, then check out a staffing agency. There are tons of employment agency jobs for felons in Irvine.

One last note about job hunting, anyone looking for a new job needs a well-written and current resume. Our website has a great guide to making a resume for people with a record.

Now let’s jump right into details about 10 companies we think you will have a good chance of getting a job with. Click on the company name to go directly to its section, or read on to see them all. 

Mazda

LA Fitness

Masimo

Golden State Foods

Scancelli Landscapes

Apple

Baseballism

Home Depot

Staybridge Suites

North Italia

Mazda

Mazda (North American Operations) has its company headquarters in Irvine. It also includes Mazda Motors of America, Inc. which is Mazda’s North American operating arm, and is the largest part of the company outside of Japan. They have a good number and variety of entry level jobs.

Some promising entry-level jobs for former felons:

  • Automotive Sales Associate
  • Parts Counter
  • Automotive Parts Driver
  • Service Greeter
  • Lube Technician

LA Fitness

LA Fitness is a major gym chain with over 700 clubs across the US and Canada. They started in 1984 and are based in Irvine, If you are into fitness and working out, then this may be a good place for you to look! They have a variety of entry-level type positions in the Irvine area.

Some promising entry-level jobs for former felons:

  • Membership Representative
  • Advanced Support Technician
  • Front Desk Associate
  • Retail Shop Associate
  • Janitorial Worker

Masimo

Masimo Corporation is a medical technology company that develops, manufactures, and markets patient monitoring products. The company sells its products through direct sales force and distributors, as well as to original equipment manufacturers. Masimo is headquartered in Irvine, and they have a lot of entry level type positions.

Promising entry-level jobs for former felons:

  • IT Support Specialist
  • Inside Sales Representative I
  • Manufacturing Mold Operator
  • Manufacturing Maintenance Technician
  • Warehouse Operator

Golden State Foods

Golden State Foods is one of the largest suppliers to the fast food industry. They have nearly 4,500 employees worldwide and service over 25,000 stores in more than 60 countries from 42 facilities. They supply  leading customers around the world, including McDonald’s, Chick-fil-A, Starbucks, Nestle, Arby’s, KFC and Taco Bell. Not only that, but they are a big company and always have lots of job openings.

Some promising entry-level jobs for former felons:

  • Client Services Desk Analyst
  • Manufacturing
  • Production Casual Worker
  • Warehouse Associate
  • Machine Operator

Scancelli Landscapes

A local landscaping company can be what gets you back into the workforce if you are willing to put in some hard manual labor days. Alternatively, you could always try for their administrative or IT side if that’s a better fit for your background.

Some promising entry-level jobs for former felons:

  • Landscaper
  • Technician
  • Designer
  • IT
  • Sales

Apple

Apple is a major employer in the Irvine area, with over 6,000 employees. They are the world’s largest technology company by revenue and one of the world’s most valuable companies. Apple is on the Ban the Box list and has signed The Fair Chance Business Pledge. Here are a few opportunities to look for.

Promising entry-level jobs for former felons:

  • Customer Service Representative
  • Support Specialist
  • Freight & Warehouse Operations
  • Inventory Specialist
  • Route Driver

Baseballism

You know the place: Every- and anything baseball. This local retailer is a strong seasonal hirer, as well as keeps busy during the regular season. If you love everything baseball, you’ll love Baseballism. Beyond that, if you’re a collector, you’ll be able to handle tons of interesting pieces during your shifts.

Some promising entry-level jobs for former felons:

  • Sales Associate
  • Custodial
  • Administration
  • Inventory Specialist

Home Depot

The Home Depot, Inc., commonly known as Home Depot, is the largest home improvement retailer in the US. They supply tools, construction products, and services. They offer a variety of entry-level opportunities for people with minimal experience. Home Depot also does not have any known bias against hiring former felons.

Promising entry-level jobs for former felons:

  • Retail Associate
  • Cashier
  • Receiver Stocker
  • Merchandising Service Associate
  • Customer Service Associate/Loader

Staybridge Suites

If you’re familiar with the hotel business, Staybridge Suites should be top of your list for consideration. Whether you’re looking for work that is more customer-facing or the exact opposite, hospitality and tourism has enough jobs for any type of worker.

Some promising entry-level jobs for former felons:

  • Housekeeping
  • Concierge
  • Maintenance
  • Cook
  • Administration

North Italia

Consider North Italia if you’re looking for work at a restaurant. They’ve got Italian-themed fare and a fun atmosphere if you’ve got the right attitude. Be ready to work hard, because they’re often busy and looking for staf.

Some promising entry-level jobs for former felons:

  • Cook
  • Host
  • Server
  • Dishwasher
  • Line Cook

Trucking jobs for felons in Irvine

Truck driving is a huge industry, and they are always hiring! Their record for hiring former felons is very good. A lot of truck driving companies even provide training for new drivers starting a career as a trucker.

If you’re looking for trucking jobs for felons in Irvine, here are some companies to check out:

  • Sysco
  • Oakley Trucking Inc.
  • Schneider
  • YRC Freight
  • Hogan Transportation

Warehouse jobs for felons in Irvine

Another great source for job opportunities is with warehouses. They are almost always needing works and the requirements are low. Below are some local warehouse companies to look at. You can also find similar jobs with any company that has a warehouse or shipping department.

Here are some warehouse jobs for felons in Irvine:

Temp agency jobs for felons in Irvine

As we mentioned earlier in this article, staffing agencies are a great source of jobs, and are especially helpful if you need to find a job fast. Below are some places to look for temp agency jobs for felons in Irvine.

Here are some of the best agencies in the area:

Second chance and job training programs for felons in Irvine

California is a Ban the Box state. The Fair Chance Act took effect in 2018 and prohibits employers with five or more employees from asking job candidates about their conviction history before making them a job offer.

Second Chance organizations are another wonderful source of help, if you are looking for some additional assistance, and not just in the area of job hunting. There are many second chance and job training programs for felons in Irvine and southern California. These programs supply a wide variety of resources for legal aid, medical, financial, education and more.

Resources for former felons in Irvine:

  • The Los Angeles Regional Reentry Program (LARRP)
    • Mission: The mission of the Los Angeles Regional Reentry Partnership (LARRP) is to support the development and implementation of a comprehensive, culturally competent, and effective community reentry system, by providing a strong community voice in public policy and funding decisions; by serving as a convener of reentry service providers, advocates, and other stakeholders; and by building capacity across the county to meet the needs of the reentry community.
    • Services offered: Education, Housing, Legal, Medical, Spiritual Services
  • The Francisco Homes
    • Mission: The Francisco Homes offers hope and multi-faceted, holistic support to formerly incarcerated individuals aspiring to re-integrate back into the community.
    • Services offered: Housing
  • A New Way of Life Reentry Project
    • Mission: Our mission is to advance multi-dimensional solutions to the effects of incarceration:
      • We provide housing and support for formerly incarcerated women for successful community reentry, family reunification, and individual healing.
      • We work to restore the civil rights of formerly incarcerated people.
      • We empower, organize and mobilize formerly incarcerated people as advocates for social change and personal transformation.
    • Services offered: Education, Housing, Legal
  • SFU Project Rebound
    • Mission: Is a special admissions program assisting formerly incarcerated individuals wanting to enter San Francisco State University. The program offers special admissions for men and women who might not normally qualify for university acceptance because of application deadlines and minor academic deficiencies.
    • Services offered: Education
  • Los? ?Angeles? ?Black? ?Worker? ?Center Ready 2 Work
    • Mission: Is to increase access to quality jobs, reduce employment discrimination, and improve industries that employ Black workers through action and unionization.
    • Services offered: Education
Garland Brewster headshot

After a successful 25-year career in the IT industry, Garland is now a Reentry Educator with The Relaunchpad. He has significant experience writing documents (resumes, LinkedIn profiles, etc.) and advising job seekers. Garland shares his experience overcoming legal challenges to help others in similar circumstances move forward and find happiness and prosperity.