Start with the record you have—and the job you want
A criminal record can affect a job search, but it does not automatically close every career path. The practical approach is to find out exactly what appears on your record, understand what an employer is legally allowed to check, correct mistakes before applying, and focus first on employers and occupations where the record is not automatically disqualifying.
Check your own criminal record before sending applications
The most useful first step is to see what an employer could actually encounter. Do not rely on memory alone. A case may have been dismissed, reduced, sealed, expunged or recorded incorrectly, and different databases may show different pieces of the history.
List the places connected to your record
Write down the states and counties where an arrest, criminal charge or conviction occurred. Criminal records in the United States are decentralized, so location matters.
Search the official state or county court system
Use the judiciary or clerk-operated public case-search system for the jurisdiction. Look for the final disposition—not merely the original charge.
Check the state’s criminal-history repository
State police, a bureau of investigation, department of public safety or another state agency may maintain a criminal-history repository separate from the courts.
Check federal cases separately
Federal criminal cases are not normally contained in state court systems. Federal court records are generally accessed through PACER.
Compare what you found with the real outcome
Check whether each case says convicted, dismissed, acquitted, deferred, sealed, expunged or another final status. Obtain certified court documents when an old database entry appears wrong.
Where to search someone’s criminal record for employment purposes
Employers should distinguish between an ordinary search of public government records and an employment background report supplied by a consumer reporting company. The legal obligations are not identical.
| Record source | What it can show | Typical official source | Important limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| State / county court | Charges, case events, dispositions, sentencing and public documents | Judicial branch, clerk of court or county court | Online access may exclude sealed, expunged, juvenile or older records. |
| State criminal-history repository | State-defined criminal-history information | State police, DOJ, DPS, SBI/BCA equivalent | Public access rules differ dramatically by state. |
| Federal court | Federal criminal cases | PACER / U.S. Courts | Requires a separate federal search. |
| Corrections | Current or historical incarceration/supervision information where public | State Department of Corrections | A corrections result is not a substitute for the court disposition. |
| Consumer report | Compiled employment background information | Consumer reporting agency | Employment use triggers Fair Credit Reporting Act obligations. |
For federal cases, use PACER’s official Find a Case service.
How an employment criminal background check usually works
If you are the applicant
You may be asked to authorize a third-party background check after applying or later in the hiring process. State and local fair-chance rules may delay when criminal-history questions can be asked.
- Read the authorization carefully.
- Request a copy of the report if a problem appears.
- Compare the report with official court records.
- Dispute inaccurate or incomplete information.
If you are the employer
When using a company that compiles background information, the FTC says the employer must follow the Fair Credit Reporting Act in addition to nondiscrimination requirements.
- Use consistent screening standards.
- Give the required standalone disclosure.
- Obtain written permission.
- Follow pre-adverse and final adverse-action procedures.
Federal FCRA rights when an employer uses a background-check company
The Fair Credit Reporting Act applies when an employer gets an employment background report from a company in the business of compiling consumer information.
The employer gives a separate disclosure
The applicant must be told in writing that information from a consumer report may be used for employment decisions. FTC guidance says the disclosure should be in a standalone document.
The employer gets written permission
The FTC states that an employer must obtain the applicant’s or employee’s written authorization before requesting the report from a background reporting company.
Before an adverse decision, the applicant sees the report
Before deciding not to hire, retain or promote someone because of the consumer report, the employer must provide a copy of the report and the FCRA Summary of Rights.
The applicant gets a chance to identify errors
This stage matters because criminal-history reports can contain wrong identities, outdated dispositions, duplicated cases or incomplete outcomes.
After the adverse decision, additional notice is required
The employer must identify the background reporting company and explain the applicant’s right to dispute inaccurate or incomplete information.
Official guidance: FTC — Employer Background Checks and Your Rights.
A criminal record should not automatically end the hiring analysis
The EEOC advises employers to evaluate whether criminal history is relevant to the actual risks and responsibilities of the job instead of using unnecessarily broad exclusions.
Among the factors the EEOC tells employers to consider are:
- the nature and seriousness of the offense
- how much time has passed
- the nature of the job being filled
- whether the record is accurate
- whether the applicant can explain the circumstances
- whether the screening practice is job-related
The EEOC also advises employers to apply criminal-record standards consistently and not use background information in a way that violates federal equal-employment-opportunity law.
Official resource: EEOC — Criminal Records.
Where people with criminal records can start looking for work
No occupation is automatically “record friendly” in every state, and the same conviction may matter differently for two different jobs. A better strategy is to start with work where skills can be demonstrated, then check whether a specific employer, license or statute creates a restriction.
Construction and building trades
Carpentry, plumbing, electrical work, welding, HVAC and related trades may offer training or apprenticeship pathways. Licensing rules still vary by state and occupation.
Manufacturing
Machine operation, assembly, fabrication, production and maintenance can be worth exploring, especially where employers train for job-specific skills.
Warehouse and distribution
Inventory, fulfillment, material handling, shipping, receiving and forklift-related roles can provide entry points depending on employer policy.
Hospitality and food service
Kitchens, food preparation, hotels, facilities and other service roles can offer opportunities, although employer requirements vary.
Landscaping and maintenance
Grounds work, property maintenance, construction support and related work can emphasize reliability and practical skills.
Self-employment
CareerOneStop specifically includes self-employment as a path justice-impacted job seekers may explore. Business licensing and occupational rules still apply.
Use an American Job Center for free local employment help
American Job Centers are part of the public workforce system supported by the U.S. Department of Labor. CareerOneStop currently lists nearly 2,300 centers across the United States.
Depending on the center, services can include:
- job-search assistance
- resume help
- career counseling
- practice interviews
- skills testing
- training referrals
- local employer information
- job fairs and recruiting events
- access to computers and internet
- referrals to community resources
When you contact a center, ask specifically: “Do you have reentry or justice-involved employment services, training funds, or employers that regularly consider applicants with criminal records?”
Find an American Job Center Open CareerOneStop justice-impacted resourcesCareerOneStop lists the national employment and training helpline as 1-877-US2-JOBS (1-877-872-5627).
Registered Apprenticeships can combine a job with paid training
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Apprenticeship.gov specifically provides resources for career seekers who face barriers to employment, including justice-involved individuals.
Apprenticeship opportunities can exist across construction, advanced manufacturing, transportation, technology, energy, hospitality and other industries. Eligibility remains specific to the occupation, employer and any licensing or safety requirements.
Open the official Apprenticeship Job Finder
Search by occupation, company, city, state or ZIP code.
Look beyond the exact job title you used before
Search skills and occupations such as welding, electrical, maintenance, manufacturing, transportation or construction rather than only one employer name.
Check the actual entry requirements
A criminal record may matter differently depending on licensing, access to secure locations, driving duties or the employer’s legitimate job requirements.
People with criminal records can qualify for many federal jobs
A criminal record is not an automatic bar to most federal employment. The Office of Personnel Management states that agencies consider the relationship between past conduct and the position, including seriousness, circumstances, how much time has passed and evidence of rehabilitation.
For jobs covered by the federal Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act, agencies generally may not request criminal-history information before extending a conditional job offer, although statutory and regulatory exceptions exist.
The Federal Bonding Program can address some employer concerns
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Federal Bonding Program provides fidelity bonds intended to help employers hire people whose backgrounds create barriers to employment, including people with criminal records.
DOL’s 2026 Reentry Employment Opportunities material explains that the bond can cover certain employer losses from dishonest acts during the first six months of employment, with no cost to the job applicant or employer under the program.
Official DOL reentry resources: U.S. Department of Labor — Reentry Resources.
Do not rely on outdated 2026 Work Opportunity Tax Credit advice
Older reentry articles frequently tell job seekers that employers can receive the Work Opportunity Tax Credit for hiring a person with a felony conviction.
That information needs an important date attached to it. Current IRS and Department of Labor pages state that WOTC authorization covered qualifying individuals who began work on or before December 31, 2025.
The IRS also states that Form 8850 is no longer in use as of March 19, 2026. Therefore, this guide does not present WOTC as a current incentive for a new 2026 hire.
Verify current status: IRS — Work Opportunity Tax Credit.
Some jobs have legal or licensing restrictions that an employer cannot simply ignore
Fair-chance hiring does not mean every criminal record is irrelevant to every occupation. Federal, state or local law can restrict certain jobs or occupational licenses based on specified convictions.
Before paying for training, check:
- state occupational licensing rules
- whether the conviction type matters
- how long ago the conviction occurred
- whether a waiver is available
- whether rehabilitation evidence can be considered
- whether the job requires a security clearance
- whether the role involves vulnerable populations
- whether federal law creates a specific restriction
How to explain a criminal record during a job interview
You do not need to turn the interview into a long story about the past. When disclosure is legally requested, the most useful response is usually accurate, brief and connected to what has changed since the event.
State the record accurately
Use the actual disposition. Do not call a dismissed charge a conviction, and do not describe a felony as a misdemeanor if it was not reduced.
Do not over-explain
Give the information requested without adding unrelated personal detail that does not help the employer evaluate your ability to do the job.
Show what happened afterward
Employment history, training, stable references, education, completed supervision and relevant credentials can help an employer evaluate the present rather than only the past.
What to do if an employment background report is wrong
Mistakes matter because an incorrect case status or a record belonging to someone with a similar name can change a hiring decision.
Get the report
If the employer is considering adverse action based on a consumer report, the FCRA process gives you access to the report before the final decision.
Identify the exact error
Examples include wrong identity, duplicate cases, incorrect conviction status, a dismissed case shown as pending or a sealed record appearing incorrectly.
Collect official proof
Obtain the court docket, certified disposition, expungement order or other government record that shows the correct information.
Dispute with the background reporting company
Follow the reporting company’s dispute procedure and provide copies of supporting records.
Tell the employer when the report is corrected
FTC guidance recommends asking the background reporting company to provide the corrected report and informing the employer of the mistake.
If a background report was obtained without permission or required notices were not provided, the FTC directs consumers to ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
Check whether sealing, expungement or record-clearing relief is available
Criminal-record relief is controlled primarily by state law. Depending on the jurisdiction and case, a person may be eligible for expungement, sealing, set-aside relief, a certificate of rehabilitation or another mechanism that changes public access or employment consequences.
The U.S. Department of Labor points job seekers to the Clean Slate Clearinghouse, which provides state-by-state information about criminal-record clearance policies and legal-service resources.
Start with the Department of Labor reentry resources and your state’s official judiciary or legal-aid resources.
Be careful with job and background-check scams
People who are anxious about their record can be particularly vulnerable to services promising guaranteed employment or instant criminal-record removal.
Be cautious if a “job” asks for money first
A legitimate employer ordinarily does not require you to pay a recruiter simply to receive a job offer.
Protect Social Security and banking information
The FTC warns against putting Social Security or bank-account information on a resume. Verify that you are dealing with the actual employer before sharing sensitive data.
Do not buy an unnecessary “national criminal check”
If your goal is to review your own record, begin with official courts and state repositories. Commercial databases may be incomplete or stale.
Be skeptical of guaranteed expungement promises
Eligibility depends on the jurisdiction and case. Use official courts or qualified legal assistance to determine whether relief is actually available.
A practical 30-minute job-search plan
10 minutes: identify your strongest skills
Write down recent work experience, licenses, equipment skills, software knowledge, certifications and tasks you can perform without additional training.
5 minutes: check licensing barriers
Before applying to a regulated occupation, confirm whether your record affects eligibility in your state.
5 minutes: find an American Job Center
Save the contact details for the nearest center and ask whether it offers justice-involved employment help, training or bonding assistance.
5 minutes: search CareerOneStop and Apprenticeship.gov
Save several realistic openings rather than applying blindly to dozens of unrelated jobs.
5 minutes: prepare your record explanation
Keep it accurate, short and focused on work readiness, rehabilitation and relevant qualifications.
Common questions about jobs and criminal records
1. Can someone with a criminal record still get a job?
Yes. A criminal record does not automatically bar a person from all employment. Eligibility depends on the record, job duties, employer policy and any federal, state, local or licensing restrictions that apply.
2. Can an employer run a criminal background check without permission?
If the employer uses a consumer reporting company to obtain an employment background report, the Fair Credit Reporting Act generally requires a written standalone disclosure and the person’s written authorization before the report is obtained.
3. Does an arrest automatically disqualify someone from a job?
No. The EEOC says an arrest alone is not proof that a person committed a crime and advises employers to treat arrest information differently from conviction information.
4. What jobs are easiest to get with a criminal record?
There is no universal list. Opportunities can exist in construction, manufacturing, logistics, maintenance, hospitality, food service, apprenticeships and many other fields, but employer and licensing rules vary. CareerOneStop recommends matching work to skills and exploring training and apprenticeships.
5. Can someone with a criminal record get a federal job?
Yes, in many cases. OPM states that a criminal record is not an automatic bar to most federal employment. Some jobs have statutory restrictions or additional suitability, security or credential requirements.
6. What should I do before an employer runs my background check?
Review your own official court and state criminal-history records, identify the final disposition of each case, gather documents showing corrections or expungement, and prepare a short accurate explanation if disclosure is required.
7. What if the background check has the wrong criminal record?
Obtain the report, identify the error, collect official court documentation and dispute inaccurate or incomplete information with the background reporting company. Inform the employer when the report is corrected.
8. Is the Work Opportunity Tax Credit available for a new 2026 hire?
Current IRS and Department of Labor information states that WOTC authorization applied to eligible workers who began work on or before December 31, 2025. IRS also states that Form 8850 is no longer in use as of March 19, 2026. Check current federal law before relying on older WOTC guidance.
9. What is the Federal Bonding Program?
It is a U.S. Department of Labor program that can provide fidelity bond coverage to employers hiring certain job seekers who face employment barriers, including people with criminal records. Ask an American Job Center or state workforce agency about local availability.
10. Where can someone with a record get free job-search help?
American Job Centers provide free employment and training assistance around the United States. CareerOneStop also offers justice-impacted job-search, reentry, training and career resources.
Official resources for job seekers and employers
- Federal Trade Commission — Employer Background Checks and Your Rights
- FTC — Background Checks: What Employers Need to Know
- EEOC — Criminal Records
- EEOC — Background Checks
- CareerOneStop — Justice-Impacted Job Seekers
- CareerOneStop — American Job Center Finder
- U.S. Department of Labor — Reentry Resources
- Apprenticeship.gov — People With Barriers to Employment
- Apprenticeship.gov — Apprenticeship Job Finder
- OPM — Criminal Records and Federal Employment
- IRS — Work Opportunity Tax Credit Current Status
- U.S. Courts — PACER Federal Case Search