Report · 2026
What big employers say about hiring people with records
Of the 135 large U.S. employers we track, 22 (16%) have publicly committed to hiring people with criminal records, and 93 (69%) haven't published any policy on it at all.
Counted from each company's own careers pages, policies and filings, each record checked by a second reader. Last checked October 31, 2026.
Who says what
- 22Public commitment (16%). Has publicly committed to hiring people with records.
Which employers
American Airlines, Aramark, AT&T, Bank of America, Best Buy, CVS Health, General Motors, JPMorgan Chase, Kelly Services, Kroger, Lowe's, Macy's, McDonald's, Microsoft, PepsiCo, Randstad USA, Starbucks, Target, The Home Depot, Verizon, Walgreens, Walmart
- 16Reviews records case by case (12%). Says a record is reviewed individually rather than ruling people out.
Which employers
7-Eleven, Adecco USA, Albertsons Companies, Allied Universal, Amazon, Apple, AutoZone, Denny's, Google, PeopleReady, PetSmart, Ross Dress for Less, Sheetz, Staples, TJX Companies, United States Postal Service
- 4
- 93No published policy (69%). Hasn't published a policy on hiring people with records.
Which employers
ABM Industries, Aerotek, Aldi, Amazon Flex, BJ's Wholesale Club, Boeing, Buffalo Wild Wings, Burger King, Burlington, CarMax, Caterpillar, Chick-fil-A, Chili's, Chipotle, Cintas, Circle K, Coca-Cola, Comcast, Costco, Cracker Barrel, Delta Air Lines, DHL, Discount Tire, Disney, Dollar General, Dollar Tree, Domino's, DoorDash, Dunkin', Enterprise Mobility, Express Employment Professionals, Family Dollar, FedEx, Ford Motor Company, GameStop, Goodwill, Gopuff, H-E-B, Hertz, Hilton, Hobby Lobby, IHOP, IKEA U.S., J.B. Hunt, Jack in the Box, Jiffy Lube, John Deere, KFC, Knight-Swift, Kohl's, Lockheed Martin, Love's Travel Stops, Manpower (ManpowerGroup), Marriott, Meijer, Menards, Michaels, Nike, Olive Garden, Papa John's, Penske (Penske Truck Leasing / Penske Logistics), Pizza Hut, Publix, QuikTrip, RaceTrac, Republic Services, Robert Half, Ryder, Sam's Club, Schneider, Securitas USA, Shipt, Smithfield Foods, Sodexo, Sonic Drive-In, Spark Driver, Spectrum (Charter Communications), Subway, Sysco, T-Mobile, Taco Bell, Tesla, Tractor Supply, Tyson Foods, UPS, Waffle House, Wawa, Wells Fargo, Wendy's, Werner, Whole Foods Market, WM (Waste Management), XPO
- 19Second Chance Business Coalition members (14%), from the coalition's own member list. Membership is a signal, not a hiring promise.
Which employers
American Airlines, AT&T, Bank of America, Best Buy, CVS Health, General Motors, JPMorgan Chase, Kelly Services, Kroger, Lowe's, Macy's, McDonald's, Microsoft, PepsiCo, Target, The Home Depot, Verizon, Walgreens, Walmart
Background checks
Whether the company says it runs a criminal background check:
- 60Yes (44%)
Which employers
Albertsons Companies, Allied Universal, Amazon, Amazon Flex, American Airlines, Aramark, AT&T, AutoZone, Bank of America, Best Buy, CarMax, Caterpillar, Chili's, Cintas, Comcast, Costco, CVS Health, Dollar General, Domino's, DoorDash, Express Employment Professionals, General Motors, Google, Grubhub, Hertz, Instacart, Jack in the Box, JPMorgan Chase, KFC, Kohl's, Lockheed Martin, Lowe's, Lyft, Marriott, McDonald's, Olive Garden, Penske (Penske Truck Leasing / Penske Logistics), PepsiCo, PetSmart, Publix, RaceTrac, Republic Services, Ross Dress for Less, Sam's Club, Securitas USA, Sheetz, Shipt, Spark Driver, Starbucks, Sysco, Target, The Home Depot, TJX Companies, Tractor Supply, Uber, United States Postal Service, UPS, Walmart, Wendy's, Whole Foods Market
- 31For some roles (23%)
Which employers
ABM Industries, Adecco USA, Aerotek, Aldi, Cracker Barrel, Delta Air Lines, DHL, Disney, Enterprise Mobility, Family Dollar, FedEx, Ford Motor Company, Gopuff, H-E-B, IKEA U.S., J.B. Hunt, Kelly Services, Knight-Swift, Love's Travel Stops, Manpower (ManpowerGroup), Microsoft, Papa John's, PeopleReady, QuikTrip, Randstad USA, Ryder, Schneider, Smithfield Foods, Tyson Foods, Wells Fargo, Werner
- 44Not published (33%)
Which employers
7-Eleven, Apple, BJ's Wholesale Club, Boeing, Buffalo Wild Wings, Burger King, Burlington, Chick-fil-A, Chipotle, Circle K, Coca-Cola, Denny's, Discount Tire, Dollar Tree, Dunkin', GameStop, Goodwill, Hilton, Hobby Lobby, IHOP, Jiffy Lube, John Deere, Kroger, Macy's, Meijer, Menards, Michaels, Nike, Pizza Hut, Robert Half, Sodexo, Sonic Drive-In, Spectrum (Charter Communications), Staples, Subway, T-Mobile, Taco Bell, Tesla, Verizon, Waffle House, Walgreens, Wawa, WM (Waste Management), XPO
When in hiring the check happens, where the company says:
- 23After a job offer (17%)
Which employers
Aldi, American Airlines, Aramark, AT&T, AutoZone, Best Buy, Comcast, General Motors, Google, JPMorgan Chase, KFC, Kohl's, Lowe's, Marriott, PepsiCo, Ross Dress for Less, Ryder, Sheetz, Starbucks, Sysco, Target, Tyson Foods, United States Postal Service
- 9During onboarding (7%)
Which employers
Amazon Flex, DoorDash, Grubhub, Instacart, Lyft, Publix, Shipt, Spark Driver, Uber
- 1Before an offer (1%)
Which employers
- 102Not published (76%)
Which employers
7-Eleven, ABM Industries, Adecco USA, Aerotek, Albertsons Companies, Allied Universal, Amazon, Apple, Bank of America, BJ's Wholesale Club, Boeing, Buffalo Wild Wings, Burger King, Burlington, CarMax, Caterpillar, Chick-fil-A, Chili's, Chipotle, Cintas, Circle K, Coca-Cola, Costco, Cracker Barrel, CVS Health, Delta Air Lines, Denny's, DHL, Discount Tire, Disney, Dollar General, Dollar Tree, Domino's, Dunkin', Enterprise Mobility, Express Employment Professionals, Family Dollar, FedEx, Ford Motor Company, GameStop, Goodwill, Gopuff, H-E-B, Hertz, Hilton, Hobby Lobby, IHOP, IKEA U.S., J.B. Hunt, Jack in the Box, Jiffy Lube, John Deere, Kelly Services, Knight-Swift, Kroger, Love's Travel Stops, Macy's, Manpower (ManpowerGroup), McDonald's, Meijer, Menards, Michaels, Microsoft, Nike, Olive Garden, Papa John's, Penske (Penske Truck Leasing / Penske Logistics), PeopleReady, PetSmart, Pizza Hut, QuikTrip, RaceTrac, Randstad USA, Republic Services, Robert Half, Sam's Club, Schneider, Securitas USA, Smithfield Foods, Sodexo, Sonic Drive-In, Spectrum (Charter Communications), Staples, Subway, T-Mobile, Taco Bell, Tesla, The Home Depot, TJX Companies, Tractor Supply, UPS, Verizon, Waffle House, Walgreens, Walmart, Wawa, Wells Fargo, Wendy's, Werner, Whole Foods Market, WM (Waste Management), XPO
Only 7 of 135 name the screening company they use.
Some cities and states require checks to wait until after a conditional offer, so a company that doesn't say may still follow that rule where it applies. Your rights during a background check.
Drug tests
- 9Yes (7%)
Which employers
Boeing, Caterpillar, Costco, General Motors, J.B. Hunt, Publix, Sheetz, Sysco, United States Postal Service
- 43For some roles (32%)
Which employers
ABM Industries, Adecco USA, Aldi, Allied Universal, Amazon, American Airlines, AutoZone, Best Buy, Delta Air Lines, DHL, Disney, Express Employment Professionals, Family Dollar, FedEx, Ford Motor Company, Gopuff, H-E-B, IKEA U.S., John Deere, Kelly Services, Knight-Swift, Kohl's, Lockheed Martin, Love's Travel Stops, Macy's, Manpower (ManpowerGroup), Meijer, Penske (Penske Truck Leasing / Penske Logistics), PeopleReady, QuikTrip, Randstad USA, Ryder, Schneider, Securitas USA, Smithfield Foods, Staples, Target, Tyson Foods, UPS, Verizon, Werner, WM (Waste Management), XPO
- 1Not for most roles (1%)
Which employers
- 82Not published (61%)
Which employers
7-Eleven, Aerotek, Albertsons Companies, Amazon Flex, Apple, Aramark, AT&T, Bank of America, BJ's Wholesale Club, Buffalo Wild Wings, Burger King, Burlington, CarMax, Chick-fil-A, Chili's, Chipotle, Cintas, Circle K, Coca-Cola, Comcast, Cracker Barrel, CVS Health, Denny's, Discount Tire, Dollar General, Dollar Tree, Domino's, DoorDash, Dunkin', Enterprise Mobility, GameStop, Goodwill, Google, Grubhub, Hertz, Hilton, Hobby Lobby, IHOP, Instacart, Jack in the Box, Jiffy Lube, JPMorgan Chase, KFC, Kroger, Lowe's, Lyft, Marriott, McDonald's, Menards, Michaels, Microsoft, Nike, Olive Garden, Papa John's, PepsiCo, Pizza Hut, RaceTrac, Republic Services, Robert Half, Ross Dress for Less, Sam's Club, Shipt, Sodexo, Sonic Drive-In, Spark Driver, Spectrum (Charter Communications), Starbucks, Subway, T-Mobile, Taco Bell, Tesla, The Home Depot, TJX Companies, Tractor Supply, Uber, Waffle House, Walgreens, Walmart, Wawa, Wells Fargo, Wendy's, Whole Foods Market
By kind of business
| Industry | Employers | Publicly committed |
|---|---|---|
| Retail | 29 | 6 |
| Restaurants | 22 | 2 |
| Automotive | 8 | 1 |
| Gig apps | 8 | 0 |
| Other | 8 | 2 |
| Staffing agencies | 8 | 2 |
| Convenience stores | 7 | 0 |
| Grocery | 6 | 1 |
| Shipping and delivery | 6 | 0 |
| Manufacturing | 5 | 1 |
| Telecom and cable | 5 | 2 |
| Trucking | 5 | 0 |
| Uniforms and facilities | 4 | 1 |
| Banking and finance | 3 | 2 |
| Aerospace | 2 | 0 |
| Food distribution | 2 | 0 |
| Pharmacy and health | 2 | 2 |
| Security | 2 | 0 |
| Waste and recycling | 2 | 0 |
| Nonprofit retail | 1 | 0 |
How we counted
These are the 135 employers in our directory: large U.S. companies people with records ask about most, not a random sample, so the shares describe this group, not all employers. Each company's answer comes from its own pages, policies, filings and job postings, never from lists of "felon-friendly" companies, and each record was checked by a second reader before it went live. "No published policy" means we found nothing in the company's own words, not that it refuses to hire people with records. The numbers update whenever a record changes. How we check · Download the data
Cite this page
Second Chance Index, "Second Chance Hiring Report 2026: What Big Employers Say About Hiring People With Records" https://secondchanceindex.com/hiring-report, checked October 31, 2026.