Food service and retail are some of the most available job options for those with a criminal history. At Cracker Barrel, a felon can do both! This place even has janitorial openings for those who prefer evening or are not good with customers. There is a background check, but most felons will find applying there is not a hopeless pursuit. Cracker Barrel is a lenient company, and a great fresh start. So does Cracker Barrel Hire Felons… Lets find out!

Yes, Cracker Barrel does hire felons. This does not mean that they will hire every felon that walks through their doors though. The specific felony conviction, time since completion of sentence and your experience will play into whether Cracker Barrel will hire you or not.

Lets go into a bit more detail about getting a job at Cracker Barrel.

Types of Jobs at Cracker Barrel for Felons

The first thing a felon needs to do is decide what area they would like to apply for: retail, food, or janitorial services.

Retail and food require lots of customer interaction, so it is important to consider that before applying. It is helpful to be outgoing and friendly. If a felon does not feel comfortable in these fast-paced, customer settings, then Night Maintenance is also an option. This is the janitorial position; their job is to clean the retail, cooking, and eating spaces for the next day. This would suit introverts and those with little experience with customer relations. The hours for this are also at night, which means classes or family needs could be taken care of during the day.

How to Apply

Once the desired position is selected, the applicant needs to go to Cracker Barrel’s career website and fill out an application. Special note needs to be heeded, because each store has a separate link for each position. If done incorrectly, they could receive interviews for jobs they cannot take, and miss out on the position they wanted. The application itself is not difficult. A resume can be added, but all pertinent information is typed in online. Once submitted, the store’s managers will look over all the applicants. The chosen ones are interviewed, and background checks are given after that. If it all clears, the felon has a job!

Please also note that Cracker Barrel also has jobs at their home office and distribution centers.

The Background Check

The reason Cracker Barrel does their background check after the interview is because it allows the managers to get to know the individual. Instead of focusing on past mistakes, Cracker Barrel wants to see what kind of person the applicant is now. This is a great chance for felons. They will have a chance to discuss what charges are on their record, and why they happened.

The only charges that qualify for automatic termination are violent ones. If there is a current charge pending, all the store asks for is relevant paperwork. This also means they usually only give background checks to those they are seriously considering. If a felon is not chosen, it is more likely to be that he did not fit what they needed. If they are, it means they have a fresh start with employers that understand their journey and can help them succeed.

Background Check Limits

It is important to understand that some states have laws regarding how far back a criminal background check can go. This can give you some insight as to whether Cracker Barrel will hire you or not.  Here are the laws in each US state.

Twelve states do not allow any felony conviction information older than seven years to be reported.

• California
• Colorado*
• Kansas*
• Maryland*
• Massachusetts
• Montana
• Nevada
• New Hampshire*
• New York *
• Texas *
• Washington*

(* exceptions based on pay/salary)

Some states will not report court cases where you were found NOT guilty: Hawaii, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Alaska, California, New York and Michigan.

These states will report unlimited numbers of years back of felony convictions and also report NOT guilty verdicts: Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island, Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, DC, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Maine, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

Benefits and Promotions

Cracker Barrel has lots of great options for their employees to better themselves. On an educational level, there are school scholarships. Those who simply want to make their way up the company ladder can take part in internships and in-house seminars. This may be helpful for those who do not want to go back to school, or who already have a degree (but lack experience). There is also an insurance plan for an employee’s dental, visual, and otherwise medical needs. This means money can be spent on rent or other necessities, instead of expensive hospital bills. Their saved money could also be put into Cracker Barrel’s 401k employee savings plan, which could help felons be ready for retirement.

Cracker Barrel is a great place for felons looking to better their lives. This place has a multitude of openings for every schedule and interest. If a felon has applicable skills and a good interview, they need not worry about the background check. The only thing a felon needs to be concerned about is when they can start. We hope this has answered your question “does cracker barrel hire felons?” Good Luck!