If you are looking for jobs for felons in Spokane, Washington, then this article is for you. For former felons, finding a job is harder than it is for almost everyone else. Here at the Relaunch Pad, we are familiar with your struggles because many of the people on our team have been there.
Our expert team has directly contacted over 1,000 US companies to determine their hiring practices for former offenders. On top of that, we looked into the local employment environment and selected the companies you should apply to first, if you’re looking for a job today. We took into account not only their hiring practices, but also what types of entry-level jobs they offer and advancement opportunities.
Jobs that hire felons in Spokane
Spokane got its name from the original residents of the area: The Spokanes tribe, whose name means “Children of the Sun.” The city is nicknamed the Lilac City and has a yearly Lilac Festival that celebrates the coming of Spring. Spokane has over 200,000 residents and the Spokane Falls, at the center of the city, is one of the largest urban waterfalls in the US.
On the economic side, Spokane’s largest industries are agriculture, mining and forestry products, manufacturing, transportation and distribution, and tourism and hospitality. You should be able to find a lot of good opportunities in the area, especially if you are into customer service or manufacturing work.
To narrow down your search for jobs that hire felons in Spokane, you can use our outstanding job search tool. You can look for openings by industry, job title, company, and other filters.
Top companies that hire felons in Spokane
If you have been out of the job market for a while, then looking for entry-level jobs is going to be your best bet. They have the simplest requirements and often are more flexible regarding people with criminal backgrounds because these roles are often in immediate need of filling.
Another good avenue to examine is temp and employment agency jobs for felons in Spokane. Temporary job agencies are in the business of having the most and freshest job openings available and are adept at matching skills to roles. They are also familiar with locating jobs for people in your situation.
The main portion of this article will give you a list of some interesting and likely companies that hire felons in Spokane. Click on a link below to jump right to that company’s section, or just keep scrolling down to read all of them. We’ll also have some more tips on getting a job with a criminal record.
Before you start out on your new career search, make sure you have a good resume ready. For some help and guidance in this area, look at our guide to making a resume for people with a record.
Keytronic
For something technology and manufacturing related, take a look at Keytronic (formerly Key Tronic). Keytronic is a company that produces technology-related products such as keyboards, mice, and other input devices. It was founded in 1969 and is one of the ten-largest contract manufacturers providing electronic manufacturing services in the US.
Some promising jobs for former felons:
- Associate Plastics Manufacturing
- Warehouse
- Customer Support
- Maintenance and Repair
- Lab Technician
No-Li Brewhouse
If you like beer and are interested in a restaurant or brewery job, then the No-Li Brewhouse may be your ticket. It is a brewery and restaurant in Spokane known for its emphasis on local sourcing and production. No-Li Brewhouse beverages are licensed for distribution in Washington and Idaho and have won various international awards for their beers.
Some good opportunities for justice-involved folks to look for:
- Busser
- Server
- Maintenance
- Production worker
- Sales representative
PotlatchDeltic
Looking for something related to wood and wood products? PotlatchDeltic Corporation (formerly Potlatch Corp) is the place to be. It is a forest products company based in Spokane that manufactures and sells lumber, panels and particleboard. The company harvests over 5,000,000 tons of lumber annually (2021).
Some solid jobs for former felons:
- Office Services Clerk
- Control Technician
- Material Handler
- Administrative Assistant
- Operation Technician
Red Lion Hotels
The hospitality business is always a good place to look. Red Lion Hotels Corporation (also known as RLH Corporation) is a hospitality company that operates a range of upscale, mid-scale, and economy hotels with over 1,400 locations across North America.
Great jobs for former felons:
- Bartender
- Server
- Cashier
- Dishwasher
- Cook
URM Stores
Grocery stores are another good source of opportunities for former felons. URM Stores, Inc. (formerly United Retail Merchants) of Spokane is a US retailers’ cooperative serving independent supermarkets in Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington. Founded in 1921, its affiliated supermarkets include Family Foods, Harvest Foods, Rosauers, Yoke’s Fresh Market, and Super 1 Foods.
Promising jobs for former felons:
- Cashier
- Warehouse Order Selector
- Retail Merchandiser
- Inside Sales Representative
- Facilities/Building Maintenance Technician
White’s Boots
If you’re into kicks, then check out White’s Boots. White’s Boots is a shoe making company based in Spokane that specializes in handcrafted leather work boots. They produce their handcrafted shoes with leather and materials sourced from the US.
Some great opportunities for former felons:
- Machine operator
- Customer service
- Receiving/Materials
- Service representative
- Maintenance Tech
ENGIE Impact
ENGIE Impact (formerly Ecova, Inc.) is an energy and sustainability management company that provides managed and technology-optimized commercial and industrial solutions including data management, energy supply management, facility optimization, home energy improvement programs, retail channel programs, and strategic solutions and services. They have a lot of jobs on the tech side and general office work type jobs.
Promising jobs for former felons:
- Administrative Assistant
- Business Analyst
- Mailroom Associate
- Payment Processor
- Sustainability Analyst
Clearwater Paper
For some serious paper-pushing, take a look at Clearwater Paper. Clearwater Paper Corporation is a producer of private label tissue and paperboard products (consumer tissue, away-from-home tissue, parent rolls machine-glazed tissue, bleached paperboard, and pulp) at 15 manufacturing locations in the US and Canada.
Some good job opportunities for former felons:
- Customer Service
- Delivery Driver
- Sales Support
- Maintenance
- Admin Assistant
Pyrotek
Pyrotek is a manufacturing company that produces vibration controls, noise barriers, sound absorbers, composites, and thermal and fire protection gear. Safety and noise reduction are their focuses. Pyrotek was founded in 1956, is based in Spokane, and has over 2,400 employees.
Excellent openings for former felons to look for:
- Maintenance Technician
- Manufacturing
- Production Associate
- Technician
- Support analyst
Mustard Seed
If you’re looking for something in the casual dining industry that is slightly different, then check out Mustard Seed. The Mustard Seed is a restaurant that blends cooking styles of the Far East with tastes from the Pacific Northwest. They also operate Noodle Express, which has restaurants across three states including Montana, Idaho, and Washington.
Promising jobs for former felons:
- Cook
- Dishwasher
- Hourly Manager
- Cashier
- Team Member
Trucking jobs for felons in Spokane
The trucking industry is big business and they are always needing good truckers. If you like traveling and driving, then trucking may be a good career to check out. They are well known for giving justice-involved folks a chance, and many trucking companies even offer signing bonuses and free training for new employees.
Below are a few companies to check out for trucking jobs for felons in Spokane:
- Mikhail Trucking LLC
- XGS
- Shield Transportation
- C J Trucking
- ACS Trucking Inc
Warehouse jobs for felons in Spokane
Another great source of employment is to look for warehouse jobs for felons in Spokane. Warehouses are everywhere because any large company or organization will need one to store all their products and stuff. Whether you work in a dedicated warehouse, or in a warehousing department in a big store, you will find it to be a mix of physical labor and administrative duties like safety meetings and doing inventory.
Here are some of the top businesses to consider:
- DeVries Moving-Packing-Storage
- Cross Dock & Warehouse Spokane
- PBI Spokane
- Spokane Crossdock & Transload
- Trego-Dugan Warehouse
Temp agency jobs for felons in Spokane
To get a running start on your new career, you may want to check out temp agency jobs for felons in Spokane. Employment and temp agencies can offer a lot of help with quickly finding jobs in the area. They know the local job market and are familiar with finding jobs for justice involved people.
Here are some good agencies in the area:
- Provisional Recruiting
- Manpower
- Premier Employment Solutions
- Labor Finders Spokane Valley
- WorkSource Spokane
Second chance and job training programs for felons in Spokane
Some good news for former felons in Washington State and the city of Spokane. They are part of a growing number of jurisdictions that have passed “Ban the Box” laws. These laws limit when employers can ask about or consider the criminal history of a job applicant.
Those who are looking for some additional help should check out second chance and job training programs for felons in Spokane and Washington. These organizations will provide additional assistance beyond looking for a job and can be very helpful in many areas of your life.
Resources for former felons in Spokane:
- ACLU-WA’s Second Chances Project
- Mission: To reduce mass incarceration by working to reduce the unfair barriers that people with a criminal history face in trying to reintegrate into society. Since the Second Chances Project was established, it has successfully sued to ensure fairness in screening tenants, worked to advance legislation to improve job opportunities for people with a criminal history and ensure a fair system around court-imposed debts known as “legal financial obligations.”
- Services offered: Education, Employment, Housing, Legal
- University of Washington Reentry Program
- Mission: The primary mission of the University of Washington is the preservation, advancement, and dissemination of knowledge.
- Services offered: Education
- Pioneer Human Services: Reentry Services and Programs
- Mission: We are a nonprofit enterprise that provides individuals with criminal histories the opportunity to lead healthy, productive lives.
- Services offered: Addiction and Recovery, Employment, Housing, Mental Health
- Washington State Correctional Industries
- Mission: Correctional Industries is committed to maintain and expand work training programs which develop marketable job skills, instill and promote positive work ethics, and reduce the tax burden of corrections.
- Services offered: Employment
- The STAR Project
- Mission: To provide persons being released from incarceration with the essential tools to successfully re-integrate into the community as productive, contributing members.
- Services offered: Education, Employment, Housing, Legal, Reentry