52 Manufacturing & Industrial Companies That Hire Felons
Manufacturing and industrial jobs are some of the most accessible and well-paying careers available to people with felony records. The sector faces a well-documented labor shortage — the National Association of Manufacturers estimates that 2.1 million manufacturing jobs will go unfilled by 2030 — which means companies are actively expanding their talent pools and reconsidering who they are willing to hire. For people with records, this is a significant opportunity to find stable, well-paying work with benefits.
Waste management and environmental services companies stand out as some of the most felon-friendly employers in the entire economy. Waste Management and Republic Services — the two largest waste haulers in the country — both actively hire people with criminal records for CDL driver, sorter, laborer, and facility maintenance positions. The work is physically demanding and not glamorous, but it pays well ($50,000-$70,000/year for CDL drivers) and provides full benefits, retirement, and job security.
Food processing and meat packing is another strong segment. Tyson Foods, the largest meat processor in the United States, is one of the most recognized second-chance employers and hires thousands of people with records every year. Cargill, PepsiCo, and Georgia-Pacific also operate large plants that hire for production line, packaging, and material handling positions. These companies run multiple shifts, seven days a week, creating constant demand for reliable workers. The work requires physical endurance but offers competitive starting wages with regular increases.
For people willing to invest in skilled trades, the manufacturing sector offers some of the highest earning potential. Welding, CNC machining, HVAC, industrial maintenance, and electrical work all pay $45,000-$75,000/year and are in extreme demand. Many community colleges and trade schools offer programs that take 6-12 months to complete, and some employers offer on-the-job training. Union shops at companies like General Motors, Ford, and Caterpillar provide additional protections — union contracts typically require individualized assessment and protect against blanket criminal background policies.
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All 52 Manufacturing & Industrial Companies
Waste Management is known as one of the most felon-friendly large employers, especially for CDL drivers and laborers.
Tyson Foods is one of the most felon-friendly large employers. Meat processing and production roles widely available.
Republic Services is very felon-friendly, similar to Waste Management. CDL driver and laborer roles available.
Cargill is a large food/agriculture company that hires some people with records for plant and production roles.
GM considers records individually for manufacturing roles. UAW union plants offer additional protections.
Ford considers applicants individually for manufacturing. UAW union provides additional job protections.
Caterpillar considers records individually for manufacturing and equipment roles.
John Deere considers records individually for agricultural equipment manufacturing and dealer roles.
Cintas hires for uniform services, delivery driving, and production. Background check required.
Clean Harbors hires for environmental services and hazmat roles. CDL positions available.
Georgia-Pacific (Koch Industries) hires for paper and building products manufacturing. Considers records individually.
PepsiCo considers applicants individually for warehouse and driver roles. CDL positions available.
ABM Industries hires for facility services (janitorial, HVAC, parking). Known to hire people with records.
ISS hires some people with records for janitorial and facility services. Client site requirements vary.
Covanta (Reworld) hires some people with records for plant operations and maintenance.
Stericycle hires some people with records for waste processing and collection positions.
ServiceMaster hires some people with records for cleaning and restoration through franchise locations.
Smithfield Foods is a felon-friendly employer. Meat processing plants actively hire people with records.
Pilgrim's Pride is felon-friendly. Poultry processing plants hire people with records.
JBS USA is felon-friendly. The world's largest meat company actively hires people with records.
Frito-Lay (PepsiCo) hires some people with records for warehouse and production positions.
Coca-Cola bottlers hire some people with records for warehouse and production. Each bottler is independent.
Anheuser-Busch hires some people with records for brewery and warehouse positions.
Perdue Farms has signed the Fair Chance Business Pledge and regularly hires people with records for poultry processing, packaging, and sanitation
Hormel Foods conducts background checks but hires people with records for production and warehouse roles.
Conagra Brands runs background checks and a drug screen after an offer but hires people with records for plant and warehouse roles.
General Mills states a criminal record is not an automatic disqualifier and follows EEOC guidance.
Kraft Heinz conducts background checks and a drug screen after interviews but hires people with records for plant and warehouse roles.
Bimbo Bakeries USA hires some people with felony records on a case-by-case basis.
Flowers Foods runs a formal Second Chance employment program at all of its baking plants and actively hires people with criminal records.
Mission Foods hires some people with felony records on a case-by-case basis.
Nucor does not automatically disqualify applicants with felony records, but decisions are made individually based on the severity and recency of the
Steel Dynamics conducts background checks and a drug screen but has no blanket ban on hiring people with records.
Whirlpool runs background checks and drug screens but has no blanket ban on hiring people with records.
GE Appliances is one of the more approachable large manufacturers for second-chance applicants.
Goodyear uses individualized review instead of an automatic disqualification, but enforces a strict drug policy and requires a pre-employment drug
Bridgestone Americas conducts background checks but hires some people with records using individualized assessment.
Cummins conducts background checks but has a reputation for giving people with records a fair chance.
PACCAR conducts background checks but evaluates applicants with records case-by-case.
Mars conducts background checks on all applicants and hiring reports are mixed.
Hershey runs a criminal background check and a pre-employment drug screen on every hire and reviews records case by case.
Keurig Dr Pepper runs a background check (typically a seven-year lookback) plus a pre-employment drug screen and reviews records individually.
Molson Coors runs a comprehensive background check and drug screen after a conditional offer, but follows Fair Chance and EEOC guidance with an
Boar's Head runs a criminal background check and a pre-employment drug screen and reviews records individually.
UniFirst hires some people with records, especially for production and loader roles.
Alsco is one of the more accessible employers for people with records, especially for production and laundry roles.
Vestis (formerly Aramark Uniform Services) runs background checks but hires some people with records, especially in production and laundry plant
EMCOR runs background checks and drug tests and has not adopted ban-the-box hiring, but its local subsidiaries hire case by case.
Waste Connections hires some people with records on a case-by-case basis.
GFL Environmental hires some people with records on a case-by-case basis.
Rumpke is an equal-opportunity employer that hires some people with records on a case-by-case basis.
Tips for Getting Manufacturing & Industrial Jobs With a Record
- 1.Waste management and environmental services companies (Waste Management, Republic Services, Clean Harbors) are among the most felon-friendly employers in any industry. CDL driver, laborer, and sorter positions are widely available and these companies actively recruit people with records.
- 2.Food processing and meat packing plants (Tyson Foods, Cargill) hire large volumes of workers and have some of the highest acceptance rates for people with felony records. The work is physically demanding but pays well and often includes benefits from day one.
- 3.If you can get a forklift certification ($50-$200, takes 1-2 days), you instantly open doors at dozens of manufacturing companies. Certified forklift operators are in constant demand and earn $18-$28/hour in most markets.
- 4.Look into union manufacturing jobs at companies like GM, Ford, and Caterpillar. UAW and other union contracts often include protections that prevent blanket discrimination based on criminal records. Union membership also provides job security, better pay, and benefits.
- 5.Facility services companies like ABM Industries and Cintas hire for janitorial, maintenance, HVAC, and uniform services roles. These positions are widely accessible, available in every city, and provide stable employment with room for advancement.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What manufacturing companies hire felons?
- Many manufacturing and industrial companies hire people with felony records. Some of the most felon-friendly include Waste Management, Tyson Foods, Republic Services, and Georgia-Pacific. Auto manufacturers like General Motors, Ford, and Caterpillar also consider applicants with records, especially for production line and assembly roles. Food and beverage companies like PepsiCo and Cargill hire for plant production and distribution positions. The manufacturing sector has a labor shortage, which works in favor of applicants with records.
- Can a felon work in a factory?
- Yes, factory and production line work is one of the most accessible job categories for people with felony records. Manufacturing plants hire large numbers of workers for assembly, machine operation, quality inspection, packaging, and material handling. Many factories run multiple shifts and have high turnover, which means they are almost always hiring. The physical nature of the work and the controlled environment (workers stay on the production floor) make factory jobs lower risk from an employer's perspective, which is why background requirements tend to be more flexible.
- Does Waste Management hire felons?
- Yes, Waste Management is widely regarded as one of the most felon-friendly large employers in the country. They hire for CDL truck drivers (garbage collection), sorters, laborers, mechanics, and facility workers. The company does run background checks, but they are known to hire people with felony records for most positions. CDL driving positions require a clean driving record, but non-driving roles like sorter and laborer have very accessible requirements. Republic Services, the second-largest waste company, has similar practices.
- Are union manufacturing jobs available to felons?
- Yes, and union jobs can actually be advantageous for people with records. Labor unions like the UAW (United Auto Workers), USW (United Steelworkers), and Teamsters often have contract provisions that protect against blanket criminal background discrimination. This means that union shops at companies like GM, Ford, and Caterpillar must consider applicants individually rather than automatically rejecting everyone with a felony. Union jobs also offer better pay, health insurance, retirement benefits, and job security compared to non-union positions.
- What industrial jobs pay the most for felons?
- The highest-paying industrial jobs accessible to people with records include CDL truck driving at waste companies ($50,000-$70,000/year), skilled trades like welding and HVAC ($45,000-$75,000/year), forklift operation ($38,000-$55,000/year), and production line work at auto plants ($40,000-$60,000/year with overtime). Hazmat positions at companies like Clean Harbors also pay well ($45,000-$65,000/year). Many of these positions include overtime, shift differentials, and benefits that significantly increase total compensation.
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