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16 Confirmed Methods of Finding Jobs for Felons in Louisville in 2023

By Last update August 10, 2022
Louisville Kentucky cityscape

About 770,000 people live in the city of Louisville, Kentucky, on the Ohio River just across from Indiana. What goes through your head when you think of jobs for felons in Louisville? Maybe working at the Kentucky Derby or making Kentucky Fried Chicken comes to mind.

Kentucky has much more going for it than horse racing and fast food. There are work opportunities in health care, manufacturing, tourism and more.

Our expertise at Relaunch Pad is researching companies to find some of the best jobs for former felons. In fact, we’ve contacted over 1,000 businesses across the United States to ask them about their hiring policies for former felons! We’re driven to help since many of us have been in trouble with the law ourselves.

Let us take you on a virtual tour of some big employers in Louisville with different types of entry-level positions.

Jobs that hire felons in Louisville

Louisville Kentucky downtown

We’ve developed a very cool search tool to help you find jobs that hire felons in Louisville. It lets you look up the city’s biggest employers in the main industries. You can also search through different position titles.

Top companies that hire felons in Louisville

In a city this size we know you can find many types of entry-level jobs. The thing about these jobs is that there’s always some turnover, so businesses need to keep hiring. Since the positions don’t usually require any special qualifications or even work experience, they’re great jobs to get in quickly with a great employer and is a good way to move up to a better job once you see what else the business has to offer.

We’re going to tell you about some of the top companies that hire felons in Louisville in the following section. You can jump ahead by company if you click on one of the names below, or continue reading.

Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield

Spectrum

Big Bad Breakfast

General Electric

Hess’ Landscape and Nursery

Duluth Trading Company

LG and E of KU Energy

Norton HealthCare

UPS

Yum! Brands

Let’s talk a little about writing a resume with a criminal record. Resumes are important for anyone applying for work. They show your related experience and education and they help the hiring manager decide if they want to interview you.

Gaps in work history due to being incarcerated need to be addressed properly in a resume. Our resume-writing guide for former offenders can help with this. It will give you a ton of terrific tips for showing your skills on paper. A well-written resume is key when you apply for a job — even an entry-level one!

Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield

A job with a busy health insurance company might appeal to you. This is mainly office work and involves a lot of time on the phone. It could also include meeting clients in the field. If you’ve got great customer relations skills, you might get hired quickly.

Some of the most promising entry-level jobs for former felons:

  • Customer Care Representative
  • Pharmacy Customer Associate
  • Field Sales and Service Rep
  • Maintenance

Spectrum

Working with a large provider of cable, phone and internet services might be a job you’d enjoy. You could be working at a store or on phone support. If you have customer service skills, take your resume to Spectrum.

Some of the most promising entry-level jobs for former felons:

  • Customer Service Representative
  • Sales Associate
  • IT
  • Installation Technician

Big Bad Breakfast

Are you an early riser? Good. You’ll need it here! Big Bad Breakfast is a well-loved local restaurant that opens for the breakfast rush. You’ll be head of the curve if you have restaurant experience already, but don’t stress about it too much. They don’t expect a long resume!

Some of the most promising entry-level jobs for former felons:

  • Cashier
  • Cook
  • Line Cook
  • Dishwasher
  • Server

GE Appliances

Entry-level jobs at General Electric will be on the manufacturing line. GE has been a popular brand for home appliances for years. Louisville is the site of their largest plant where they make stoves, fridges, washers, dryers and more.

Some of the most promising entry-level jobs for former felons:

  • General Assembler
  • Maintenance
  • Administration
  • Power Line Installer

Hess’ Landscape and Nursery

Working outside is amazing, especially when you’re helping bring someone’s garden dreams to life. There are opportunities here at both the front and back end of operations, so you’re bound to find something that fits your life.

Some of the most promising entry-level jobs for former felons:

  • Cashier
  • Landscaper
  • Installation Technician
  • Customer Service

Duluth Trading Company

Working retail is a reliable way to get back into the job market. Duluth Trading Company has a number of seasonal positions, as well as shift work that can include weekends.

Some of the most promising entry-level jobs for former felons:

  • Warehouse Lead
  • Forklift Ooperator
  • Custodial
  • Retail Sales Associate

LG and E of KU Energy

Louisville Gas and Electric Company and Kentucky Utilities Company prides itself on providing low-cost energy to the citizens of Louisville. There are lots of positions in the field, or in the office, for you to match your background to.

Some of the most promising entry-level jobs for former felons:

  • Customer Representative
  • Training Associate
  • Mechanical Repair Technician
  • Administration

Norton HealthCare

Working in health care can be the best! Where else can you feel good about being part of a team that helps people get better. Hospitals rely on many caring people to support those recovering from illness and surgeries.

Some of the most promising entry-level jobs for former felons:

  • Patient transporter
  • Housekeeper
  • Cook
  • Kitchen staff

UPS

UPS is a well-known delivery company worldwide. They have a really big workforce in Louisville so they’re likely always hiring. Whether you’re interested in driving for them or a supply chain job, think about applying here. 

Some of the most promising entry-level jobs for former felons:

  • Package Handler
  • Delivery Driver
  • Technician
  • Customer Service Rep

Yum! Brands

If this company isn’t familiar to you, KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell probably are. Yum! Brands is the owner of these and other fast food restaurants. They have a large support center in the city that the restaurants rely on so they’re a big employer in Louisville. You could also find entry-level work at one of their many restaurants in the city. 

Some of the most promising entry-level jobs for former felons:

  • Service Desk Support
  • IT Help Desk
  • Server
  • Cashier
  • Cook

Trucking jobs for felons in Louisville

If you love to drive and feel confident in a big vehicle, then you’ll enjoy being a truck driver. There are definitely trucking jobs for felons in Louisville with some well-known companies. Some are even willing to train new hires! The industry is pretty felon-friendly, so put your best foot forward and see how far you get!

Here’s where to find trucking jobs for felons locally:

Warehouse jobs for felons in Louisville

If you’re searching for warehouse jobs for felons in Louisville, the good news is that most of these are entry-level. 

Warehouse work usually involves a lot of physical labor and hours on your feet. You might be driving a forklift, packing and labelling materials or unloading a truck. Whatever the job, it requires teamwork and staying on schedule. So, if you’ve got these skills, you’ll do fine.

We’ve already covered UPS. Here are some other big Louisville warehouses:

  • DCL Logistics
  • Derby Industries
  • Hydra Warehousing
  • Parker Commercial Storage
  • Zenith Logistics

Temp agency jobs for felons in Louisville

Make sure you add temp agency jobs for felons in Louisville to your list. Employment agencies are where a lot of businesses advertise their open positions so you can choose from a large job pool right away.

For former felons looking for work, a temporary position through an employment agency can be the answer. It’s a way to get back to work quickly. You’ll also have temp agency staff helping you match your skills and experience with a good entry-level job.

Who knows? If you’re hired through an employment agency and prove yourself as a good worker, the job might lead to something full-time.

Here are some agencies to consider:

  • The Onin Group
  • Extension Staffing
  • Champion Staffing and Recruiting
  • Snelling Personnel Services

Second chance and job training programs for felons in Louisville

Louisville has a Ban the Box law for both public and private employers. That means they can’t legally ask job applicants if they have a criminal record. This is something that really helps out former felons since they’ll be judged on their skills, like everyone else, in order to land an interview.

In addition, you might want to know about these some second chance and job training programs for felons in Louisville:

  • KentuckianaWorks Reentry By Design
    • Mission: Engaging employers, educators, and job seekers with resources to build a stronger community through the dignity of work.
    • Services offered: Employment
  • Laurel County Corrections Reentry Program
    • Mission: The Mission of the Laurel County Correctional Center Inmate Reentry Program is to focus on the transition from detention to community by initiating treatment (i.e. substance abuse, life skills, education, cognitive-behavioral change) within the correctional center that will assist inmates to adjusting to life in their communities as a productive, law abiding citizens.
    • Services offered: Addiction and Recovery, Education
  • Kentucky Reentry
    • Mission: Kentucky Reentry Mission is dedicated to helping the justice-involved population. We strive to help these individuals reintegrate into our local communities by promoting successful reentry through advocacy, economic support and local resources.
    • Services offered: Education, Employment, Family, Housing
  • Goodwill Industries of Kentucky Reentry Program
    • Mission: Goodwill’s mission is to connect Kentucky job seekers with the resources and services they need to find and maintain long-term employment and a career path. We serve Kentuckians who have disabilities or experience other challenges finding success in the workforce, such as criminal backgrounds, language barriers, limited education, lack of transportation, and chronic poverty.
    • Services offered: Employment
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Sandy Bell-Murray
Reentry Educator

Sandy Bell-Murray worked for more than thirty years for the Ontario public service, mainly in adult and youth justice. She began as a Probation and Parole Officer, then became a policy analyst, program supervisor and manager. Currently, she delivers workshops focused on building personal resilience and managing stress. She is an active member of Toastmasters International.