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If you are encountering challenges and are looking for some tips on locating jobs for felons in New York City, then this is the article for you! You may have thought that finding a job in a city as large as the Big Apple would be easy. Unfortunately, as a justice-involved person, it will not be simple.
That’s where we come in! We at Relaunch Pad have an outstanding team of researchers that have contacted over 1,000 US companies to find out if they hire former offenders. We then put what we know into this article, tailored to local businesses that are fair hirers.
Jobs that hire felons in New York
The city was originally called New Amsterdam. Did you know that? It is the home of the first pizzeria in the US, and New Yorkers collectively speak over 800 languages. New York has more than eight million residents and is home to many, many industries. Some of the largest ones in the area are financial services, health care, professional and business services, retail, manufacturing, and education.
There are obviously a multitude of job openings out there, but the trick is finding places with jobs that hire felons in New York. Don’t get overwhelmed searching for jobs. To narrow your list of potential jobs down, use our wonderful search tool. There are options and filters to zoom in on just the specific jobs you’re looking for.
Top companies that hire felons in New York
Going to job interview after job interview can be grueling. Getting rejected repeatedly makes it even more frustrating. If you find yourself in this position, then we suggest you will improve your chances of getting hired if you go for entry-level positions because they have the least requirements and many don’t perform background checks.
If you want to accelerate your job search, then you should try using an employment agency. There are many employment agency jobs for felons in New York. These places always have many jobs available and are familiar with locating jobs for people in your situation.
The next major section of this article will provide you with a list of companies that hire felons in New York. Just click on the company name to go to that section, or keep reading on to go through all of them.
You do have a solid and up-to-date resume, right? No? That’s Okay. We’ve got you covered! Check out our excellent guide to making a resume for people with a record.
WSP USA
WSP USA (formerly Parsons Brinckerhoff) is an engineering and design firm. It is one of the largest professional services firms in the world, with over 30,000 employees in 500 offices serving 39 countries. It was ranked number 7 of the Top 500 Design Firms (2020). WPS USA operates in strategic consulting, planning, engineering, construction management, energy, infrastructure, and community planning.
Some promising jobs for former felons:
- Inspector
- Electronics Technician
- Plumbing
- Construction
- Scheduler
JetBlue
JetBlue Airways is a major low-cost airline headquartered in Long Island City, and is the seventh-largest airline in North America. They operate over 1,000 flights daily and serve 100 domestic and international network destinations in the US, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America, South America, and Europe.
Some good opportunities to look for:
- Technician
- Maintenance
- Associate Analyst
- Operations Crew
- Flight Attendant
Shutterstock
Shutterstock is a provider of stock photography, stock footage, stock music, and editing tools. Founded in 2003, it is headquartered in New York, and maintains a library of around 200 million royalty-free stock photos, vector graphics, and illustrations, as well as approximately 10 million video clips and music tracks for licensing. They have a number of good customer service, sales, and office positions.
Some solid jobs for former felons:
- Customer Care Advocate
- Email Marketing
- Accounts Payable
- Sales Operations
- Sales Development
Alcoa
Alcoa Corporation (Aluminum Company of America) is the world’s eighth-largest producer of aluminum and has operations in 10 countries. They are a producer of primary aluminum, fabricated aluminum, and alumina combined, and cover all aspects of the industry—technology, mining, refining, smelting, fabricating, and recycling. Alcoa’s corporate operations are located in New York City, and they have a lot of good job openings.
Great jobs for former felons:
- Entry Level Production
- Casthouse
- Maintenance Materials
- Facilities
- Potroom Supervisor
FreshDirect
FreshDirect is an online grocery delivery service (established in New York City) focused on reducing how long it takes for food to move from its source to the end user. They buy directly from farms, emphasizing organic food and locally grown items. FreshDirect also stocks and delivers numerous kosher foods and is recognized by the Marine Stewardship Council as a certified sustainable seafood vendor.
Promising jobs for former felons:
- Driver
- Stationary Engineer
- Dispatcher
- Personal Shopper
- Packing Pro
Colgate-Palmolive
Colgate-Palmolive Company is a multinational consumer products company that specializes in the production, distribution, and provision of household, health care, personal care and veterinary products. They are headquartered on Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan, and they have a number of jobs in sales and customer service.
Some great opportunities, for former felons:
- Customer Development
- Administrative Assistant
- Customer Alliance Specialist
- Procurement
- Customer Service
Cadillac
The Cadillac Motor Car Division is a division of General Motors (GM) that designs and builds luxury vehicles. Cadillac sold a record number of vehicles worldwide (over 390,000) in 2019 and is among the finest automotive brands in the world. If you are into luxury autos, then you should check them out.
Promising jobs for former felons:
- Service Advisor
- Sales associate
- Counter person
- Inventory clerk
- Lube technician
Bowlero
Bowlero Corporation (previously Bowlmor AMF) is a bowling center operator and is the largest ten-pin bowling center operator in the world. They have over 300 centers with an average of 40 lanes per center. Bowlero Corporation is also the parent company of the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA). Their US centers represent 7% of the country’s 4,200 commercial bowling centers.
Some good job opportunities for former felons:
- Event Sales Representative
- Greeter
- Counter Desk Attendant
- Lane Server
- Janitor / Dishwasher
Rockstar Games
Do you like video games? Then you should take a look at Rockstar Games, Inc. They are a video game publisher based in NYC, established in 1998. Their biggest action-adventure game franchise is Grand Theft Auto with their Grand Theft Auto V selling over 155 million copies since 2013, making it one of the best-selling video games of all time. Other big games they sell are Red Dead Redemption, Midnight Club, Max Payne and Manhunt.
Great entry-level jobs for former felons:
- Production Associate
- Customer Support
- Customer Experience Operations Analyst
- Inside Sales & Support
- Testing
Random House
If you are interested in books, writing, or publishing, then you should look into jobs with Random House. They are a major book publisher and the largest general-interest paperback publisher in the world. They have several independently managed subsidiaries around the world and are part of Penguin Random House.
Promising jobs for former felons:
- Administrative Assistant
- Editorial Assistant
- Mail Services Associate
- Sales Associate
- Department Assistant
Trucking jobs for felons in New York
The trucking industry is always rolling. They deliver everything, everywhere. It is an excellent business to get into because they have a good track record for hiring former felons, and many trucking companies offer free training and other benefits.
Below are a few companies to check out for trucking jobs for felons in New York:
- Oz Moving & Storage
- Capital City Movers NYC
- Shleppers Moving & Storage
- One Horn Transportation
- NY Minute Messenger & Trucking
Warehouse jobs for felons in New York
Working in a warehouse can be hard physical labor, but if you are up for that, then there are a lot of good warehouse jobs for felons in New York. Every company needs to store their products and most have warehouses, so you can find many solid entry-level positions.
Here are some warehouse businesses to look at for jobs for felons in New York:
- Eagle Transfer
- GOexpress
- Select Express & Logistics
- Ace Trucking & Warehouse
- Mitchell’s NY Logistics
Temp agency jobs for felons in New York
To get some fast help with finding a job, staffing agencies are a great place to go. The list of companies below will give you some good resources to find temp agency jobs for felons in New York.
Here are some of the better agencies in the area:
- Elena’s Employment Agency
- Green Key Resources
- Aerotek
- Motion Recruitment
- Atlas Search
Second chance and job training programs for felons in New York
The three largest cities in New York (New York, Yonkers and Rochester) all have enacted Ban the Box laws that prohibit employers from asking applicants about their past criminal record on an employment application. Employers are only permitted to ask about an applicant’s criminal record further on in the hiring process.
Justice involved people have a lot of different issues to deal with. When you find yourself needing some additional help, beyond just finding a job, then second chance and job training programs for felons in New York are a good place to go. For some additional assistance, take a look at the list of places below in the New York area.
Resources for former felons in New York:
- Center for Alternative Sentencing and Employment Services (CASES)
- Mission: Is to increase public safety through innovative services that reduce crime and incarceration, improve behavioral health, promote recovery and rehabilitation, and create opportunities for success in the community.
- Services offered: Education, Employment, Legal, Medical, Mental Health
- Vera Institute of Justice
- Mission: To drive change. To urgently build and improve justice systems that ensure fairness, promote safety, and strengthen communities.
- Services offered: Addiction and Recovery, Immigration, Legal
- College and Community Fellowship (CCF) Thrive
- Mission: Is a national technical assistance program that supports successful reentry for people with criminal justice histories. Our training program works with staff to integrate CCF’s evidence-based and promising practices into their existing organizational structure.
- Services offered: Education
- Legal Action Center
- Mission: The Legal Action Center (LAC) uses legal and policy strategies to fight discrimination, build health equity, and restore opportunity for people with criminal records, substance use disorders, and HIV or AIDS.
- Services offered: Addiction and Recovery, Legal, Medical
- Community Service Society of New York
- Mission: The mission of Community Service Society of New York is to identify problems which create a permanent poverty class in New York City, and to advocate the systemic changes required to eliminate such problems. CSS will focus on enabling, empowering and promoting opportunities for poor families and individuals to develop their full potential, to contribute to society, and to realize social, economic and political opportunities.
- Services offered: Employment, Financial, Legal, Medical
