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For justice-involved folks looking for jobs for felons in Modesto, California, you have found the right article! We are going to answer all of your questions about finding jobs here, including where to start and how to make your resume.
Our expert staff has researched over 1,000 companies in the US regarding their policies and attitudes towards hiring former felons. Not only that, but we’ve taken a good look at the hiring landscape in Modesto as well so we can give you some of the best companies to target when you’re applying with a criminal record. We’ll save you so much time with our insights into these companies and give you a number of resources to turn to for help in the community.
Our site is focused on providing up-to-date information on finding jobs for the justice-involved. We know what it’s like to be a former felon looking for a new job because many of our staff are former felons ourselves. This article will focus on good places to look for jobs that hire felons in Modesto and the surrounding area.
Jobs that hire felons in Modesto
Modesto is the seat of Stanislaus County and has a population of over 218,000 (2020). The city’s official slogan is “Water Wealth Contentment Health” and it is posted on a large arch downtown, as well as several other places throughout Modesto.
The award-winning movie “American Graffiti” was shot here (produced by the legendary George Lucas), and the city is also home to the Modesto Nuts, one of the oldest minor league baseball teams — founded in 1946 — playing in the High-A California League.
Part of the Sacramento-Stockton-Modesto area, the economic heart of the city is manufacturing. After that, the food and beverage industry is next biggest. Modesto is also a regional center for health care and social services. It has an above-average job count for California, making it a great place to be looking for work when you have a criminal record because there are more opportunities!
Top companies that hire felons in Modesto
When you start out looking for a new job, it’s great to have high hopes and go for jobs that will give you the most money. But justice-involved people often find this approach is not successful. You will find it much easier to get a job if you target positions with the lowest requirements that are often more friendly towards someone with a criminal record. The pickier the employer can be, the more your record works against you.
Another good strategy is to look at temp and employment agency jobs for felons in Modesto. Temp agencies have large lists of local job openings, they know the job market, and they are usually familiar with locating jobs for people in your situation.
We’ll get into companies that hire felons in Modesto below. You can click on any of the names to jump directly to their entry in the article, or keep reading to go through all of them in order.
Before you start applying for new jobs, don’t forget to write yourself a good resume. Need some help? Then take a look at your excellent guide to making a resume for people with a record.
Boyett Petroleum
Looking for a job with flexible hours and several locations? Check out Boyett Petroleum. It is an independent and family-owned fuel supplier, distributor, and retailer based in Modesto. They sell gas under the Boyett Petroleum, Cruisers, and Kwik Serv brands with distribution to over 500 gas stations in California and Nevada.
Some promising jobs for former felons:
- Sales Associate
- Accounting clerk
- Crew Chief
- Maintenance Staff
- Logistics Coordinator
Bronco Wine Company
If you are into wine and vineyards, then The Bronco Wine Company is a good place to look at. They are based in Ceres, California. The Bronco Wine Company is the fourth-largest producer of wine in the US and has around 10,000 employees globally.
Some good opportunities for justice-involved folks to look for:
- Warehouse Lead
- Freight Driver
- Accounts Payable Data Entry Clerk
- Bottling Finished Wine Operator I
- Facility Maintenance Electrical Technician
Lucky Stores and Save Mart
For something in the retail grocery industry, check out Lucky or Save Mart Stores. They are a supermarket chain founded in 1935 in San Leandro, California, and are currently owned by Albertsons. Lucky Stores are touted as “true neighborhood stores” focused on meeting the needs of communities by providing the right products, assortment, and pricing.
Some solid jobs for former felons:
- Driver
- Assistant Manager
- Analyst
- Service specialist
- Cashier
Gallo Glass Company
If you like bottles or glass working, then the Gallo Glass Company may be a good choice. They are a glass bottle manufacturer for the wine and spirits industry. They also sell glass containers to wineries, apple juice companies, and makers of specialty beverages. Their job postings state they will consider qualified applicants with criminal histories.
Great jobs for former felons:
- Packing Inspector
- Material Handler
- Equipment Operator
- Forming Apprentice
- Batch & Furnace Tech
Ono Hawaiian BBQ
The food services industry is strong in Modesto. Ono Hawaiian BBQ is a family-owned fast casual restaurant known for its authentic Hawaiian Plate Lunches and other island specialties. Ono Hawaiian BBQ was founded in 2002, and they have locations in California and Arizona — including half a dozen in the Modesto area.
Promising jobs for former felons:
- Assistant Manager
- Front Crew
- Service Team
- Shift Supervisor
- Cook
Pacific Southwest Container
Pacific Southwest Container is a provider of packaging solutions in the Western US. Their mission is to collaboratively craft innovative, high-quality packaging solutions that balance the needs of clients with the ever-evolving needs of their consumers. They have a wide variety of openings for entry- and lower-level positions.
- Manufacturing Associate
- Converting Facilitator
- Material Handler
- Shipping/Receiving Clerk
- Sales Representative
MTC Distributing Construction
MTC Distributing is California’s largest privately-owned distributor and was founded in 1921. They serve large and small convenience stores, delivering all sorts of inventories and providing other services (store layout, merchandising, rebate programs, category management, and more), and have over 200 local employees working out of their Stoddard Road location that includes a 40,000 sq. ft. cold storage facility.
Promising jobs for former felons:
- Foodservice Business Advisor
- AP Clerk
- Food Equipment Technician
- Maintenance Worker
- Loader / Driver
Del Rio Country Club
Are you into the country club life? No? Fair enough. Well, how about working at one? The Del Rio Country Club is a large venue with 27 holes of golf, tennis, fitness center, and two full service restaurants.
Some good job opportunities for former felons:
- Busser
- Banquet Server
- Kitchen Cleaner
- Maintenance
- Assistant – Golf Course
Stanislaus Food Products
Stanislaus Food Products, founded in 1942, is a small manufacturing company located in Modesto, the heart of California’s tomato country. It is a family-owned cannery that specializes in fresh-packing high-quality tomatoes and Italian sauces for Italian restaurants and pizzerias across the US and Canada.
Excellent openings for former felons to look for:
- Customer Relations Specialist
- Industrial Mechanic
- Boiler Room Operator
- Storeroom Coordinator
- Tomato Quality and Maturity Inspector
Les Schwab Tire Centers
If you’re into cars and are looking for a job in the automotive services area, check out Les Schwab Tire Centers. Les Schwab is a retail tire chain operating in the western US with around 10,000 employees and an annual revenue of $1.3B.
Promising jobs for former felons:
- Administrative
- Tire Technician
- Installer
- Service Assistant
- Customer Service
Trucking jobs for felons in Modesto
Looking for a job that involves travel and driving big trucks? Then check out truck driving as a career. The trucking industry has a good reputation for giving the justice-involved a second chance, and they are always looking for good workers. The trucking business is booming, and they often offer incentives for new drivers, such as free training and hiring bonuses.
Below are a few companies to check out for trucking jobs for felons in Modesto:
- Lopes Trucking Services
- Golden Valley Trucking Corporation
- Tiger Lines LLC
- Ron Lawrence Trucking
- Rocha Transportation
Warehouse jobs for felons in Modesto
Another great source of opportunities is warehouse jobs for felons in Modesto. Just about every company needs to store their inventories and most of them have a warehouse, and warehouses need workers. Warehouses also have a variety of entry-level and other accessible jobs.
Here are some of the top businesses to consider:
- Wagner Logistics
- Sierra Pacific Distribution
- Saddle Creek Logistics Services
- Americold Logistics Modesto
- Graham Packaging Co.
Temp agency jobs for felons in Modesto
People that need to find a job fast should look at temp agency jobs for felons in Modesto. Temporary employment agencies will provide you with the latest and greatest job listings in the area. They are also good at providing guidance for finding a job and understand the challenges of the justice involved.
Here are some good agencies in the area:
- The Plus Group Inc.
- Hire Up Staffing Services – Modesto
- Trinity Personnel, Inc.
- Hedy Holmes Staffing Services
- Miceli-Watters, Staffing Partners
Second chance and job training programs for felons in Modesto
The state of California has a Ban the box law that prohibits employers (with five or more employees) from asking about your criminal history before making an offer of a job. They are also not allowed to deny you because of a conviction without making an individual assessment.
Second chance and job training programs for felons in Modesto and California can offer you some additional help for other key aspects of your life such as education, family, health care, and more. Check out second chance programs to add to your support structure.
Resources for former felons in Modesto:
- Friends Outside
- Mission: We work with prisoners, ex-prisoners and their families with the immediate and long term effects of incarceration. We act as a bridge between those we work with, the community at large and the criminal justice system.
- Services offered: Education, Employment, Family
- Santa Clara County Reentry Resource Center
- Mission: Reduce recidivism by using evidence-based practices in implementing a seamless system of services, supports, and supervision.
- Services offered: Education, Employment, Housing, Legal, Medical, Mental
- Delancey Street Foundation
- Mission: We have successfully graduated over 18,000 people from America’s underclass into society as successful taxpaying citizens leading decent, legitimate and productive lives. We have opened new doors in fields of homelessness, education, vocational training, social entrepreneurship, substance abuse and pathways out of poverty, crime and violence.
- Services offered: Addiction and Recovery, Clothing and Household, Education, Employment, Food, Housing
- Community Assessment and Services Center (CASC)
- Mission: The Community Assessment and Services Center (CASC), is a one-stop, multi-service reentry center which specializes in working with justice involved people ages 18 and older. Led by SFAPD and UCSF/Citywide, and in partnership with public safety partners, the Department of Public Health, Human Services Agency, Office of Economic and Workforce Development, an array of talented community based providers, the CASC provides support for justice involved adults in San Francisco. The CASC embraces a client-centered, strength-based approach, empowers personal responsibility and streamlines access to evidence based services which include clinical and reentry case management, medication management and distribution, peer coaching, cognitive behavioral interventions, substance dependency and recovery services, education and employment services, barrier removal and benefits enrollment assistance.
- Services offered: Addiction and Recovery, Education, Employment, Legal, Mental Health
- Episcopal Community Services – San Francisco
- Mission: The ECS Workforce Development and Social Enterprise program provides 300 individuals annually with job counseling, job readiness training, adult education, high school equivalency, culinary training, other vocational programs, and housing support services to help them move into stable employment, better jobs, and permanent housing.
- Services offered: Education, Employment, Family, Housing
