How felon-friendly is H-E-B? Does H-E-B warehouse hire felons and are there any hiring restrictions for certain offenses?
For felons trying to find a steady job in Texas, the H-E-B warehouse is of obvious interest.
Not only is the regional grocery chain a major employer in the state, but HEB is also known for offering employees great pay and working conditions, along with 2 pay increases each year.
H-E-B is actually the largest privately owned employer in the state of Texas. With 19 warehouses and distribution centers, the supermarket chain services over 300 H-E-B supermarkets throughout Texas and 50 more in Mexico.
It is possible for some felons to get hired at H-E-B warehouses, so let’s jump in and answer your questions about H-E-B.
Does H-E-B Warehouse Hire Felons?
H-E-B is willing to hire felons for warehouse work at their distribution centers, but they won’t hire every felon who applies for a job. They evaluate candidates with felony convictions on a case-by-case basis.
H-E-B hasn’t joined the Ban the Box campaign, which removes the questions about criminal convictions from job applications.
You’ll need to answer the criminal history questions honestly when you complete the online application, although having a criminal conviction won’t automatically disqualify you. If your initial application is approved, you’ll be asked to take a video interview.
To work at a H-E-B warehouse, you’ll need to pass a background check and drug test, both of which take place after a conditional job offer has been made.
What’s The H-E-B Warehouse Official Policy On Hiring Felons?
Companies don’t make their hiring policies public, but H-E-B does make this statement in its Partner Onboarding Guide (H-E-B refers to employees as partners). Here’s what they say:
“We strive to maintain a safe workplace for our Partners, Customers, and Suppliers. We also want to maintain our strong relationship with our Communities.
As a result, a criminal background check may be conducted before and/or after a Partner is hired. A criminal history will not necessarily exclude an applicant or Partner from employment.” As you can see, H-E-B will consider you if you apply.
Does H-E-B Hire With Misdemeanors?
While misdemeanors are less serious than felonies, the type of misdemeanor you have on your record will still be the determining factor.
The information in the H-E-B Partner Guide shows that H-E-B will consider people with criminal records for employment.
The best advice we can offer is to apply for jobs you feel you’re qualified for and see what happens.
Does H-E-B Warehouse Run Background Checks?
H-E-B runs a background check on all candidates during the hiring process. The background check includes a criminal records search and will verify your personal information and your employment record.
If the position you applied for requires a degree or professional certification, then your credentials will also be verified. H-E-B won’t run a background check until the end of the hiring process, when they offer you a job.
If you had a successful interview, H-E-B will contact you with a conditional offer of employment and ask you to fill out your background check information and take a drug test.
A conditional offer of employment means that the job offer can be withdrawn if negative information is discovered on your background check or if you fail the drug test.
You’ll need to give your consent for the background check and provide your personal details, social security number, and previous addresses.
The background check questionnaire will also ask you to provide details about criminal convictions in the specified period.
Make sure you check your email regularly, so you don’t miss the job offer or background check emails. Your application can’t progress any further until HR receives your results.
Background checks can take as little as 2 days, or as long as 2 to 3 weeks.
How Far Back Does The H-E-B Background Check Go?
H-E-B has to follow the state law regulating employment background checks. In Texas, employers can search the last 7 years of your history.
There is an exception to this 7-year rule, though. If the job will pay over $75,000, employers can go all the way back to age 18 on a background check.
Background checks are a type of consumer report. The law that covers background checks in Texas is the Texas Business and Commerce Code – BUS & COM § 20.05. This is the key information:
“A consumer reporting agency may not furnish a consumer report containing information related to: 4) a record of arrest, indictment, or conviction of a crime in which the date of disposition, release, or parole predates the consumer report by more than seven years;”
Will H-E-B warehouse hire felons with older convictions? Yes, if your felony is older than 7 years when you apply for a job at a H-E-B warehouse, your past mistake shouldn’t stand in your way. But if your offense is more recent, then H-E-B will make a case-by-case evaluation.
Has H-E-B Warehouse Hired Felons In The Past?
One way to get a better idea of your chances of being hired at a H.E.B warehouse is to find out if H-E-B has hired felons in the past.
We looked at information provided by current and former H-E-B employees, and the good news is that H-E-B has hired some felons for warehouse jobs before.
H-E-B’s willingness to hire you for a warehouse job will, of course, depend on the nature of your offense, how much time has passed, and your conduct and employment record since your felony conviction.
Knowing that H-E-B doesn’t unfairly discriminate against felons should make you feel more confident about applying for a job with the retailer.
What Felonies Make It Hard To Get Hired at H-E-B Warehouse?
If you’ve got a recent felony, then violent offenses, theft, fraud, and sexual assault will often be disqualifying.
Employers see a felony or any criminal offense on your record as an indication that you make poor decisions and you’re willing to break the rules.
H-E-B will look at your background report and make a judgment on whether your offense and your more recent conduct make hiring you a risk.
The only person who can say for sure if you will be hired or rejected is the H-E-B Human Resources manager. H-E-B HR makes the final hiring decision, and warehouse hiring managers don’t have the ability to override that decision.
Does H-E-B Warehouse Hire Felons Convicted Of Sexual Offences?
The feedback we’ve seen indicates that you’re unlikely to get hired if you’re a sex offender. The 7 year background check rule won’t help you if you’re required to register as a sex offender.
This is because the H-E-B background check runs a separate search for sex offender registration and looks at current information, not records.
Does H-E-B hire felons convicted of sexual offenses who don’t have to register? If you don’t have to register, then an older offense won’t be visible on your background check, so you could be hired.
Does H-E-B Warehouse Hire Convicted Felons For Driving Jobs?
H-E-B may be willing to employ you for a driving job depending on your record. A yard driver job will almost certainly be easier to qualify for than a job driving trucks to stores.
Having a felony shouldn’t be an issue if you apply for a driving job when your felony is more than 7 years old.
Does H-E-B Warehouse Hire Felons On Probation Or Parole?
We haven’t been able to find any concrete information on whether H-E-B warehouses hire felons who haven’t fully completed their sentence.
Even though H-E-B is willing to hire some felons for warehouse work, they are more selective than other felon-friendly employers.
H-E-B pays some of the highest rates for warehouse work, so they don’t have a shortage of applicants, and their employee turnover is much lower, too. This allows them to be more picky about who they hire.
Is There A Pre-Employment Drug Test For H-E-B Warehouse Positions?
Yes, you’ll be asked to take a drug test if you receive a conditional offer of employment at a H-E-B warehouse.
Warehouses are dangerous working environments. They’re a hive of activity, with forklifts constantly moving heavy loads around.
Because of the hazardous nature of working in a H-E-B warehouse, H-E-B wants to minimize the potential for accidents by making sure that their employees are alert and focused.
The drug test is a 5-panel urine screen that looks for:
- Opiates
- Cocaine
- Marijuana
- Amphetamines and methamphetamine
- Phencyclidine
Once you’re hired, you can be asked to take a drug test if you appear to be under the influence of drugs, when you’re involved in an accident, and if you’re selected for a random drug test.
H-E-B is a drug-free workplace and they have zero tolerance for violation of their drug and alcohol policy.
What’s The Easiest Job For A Felon To Get At H-E-B Warehouse?
The most common job by far at H-E-B warehouses is Order Selector. This is an entry-level position, and it’s a very physical job.
During your shift, expect to lift a lot of heavy boxes, and run a forklift to move loaded pallets around the warehouse. You will need a High School Diploma or GED to be eligible for this position.
You could also work in Shipping and Receiving, where your duties will involve unloading trucks bringing merchandize to the warehouse, and loading the trucks destined for H-E-B supermarkets.
Warehouses need to be cleaned, so jobs in the H-E-B sanitation department are also easier to get than skilled positions with more responsibility.
H-E-B Warehouse Locations
H-E-B has distribution centers in the following locations:
- Houston, Texas
- San Antonio, Texas
- San Marco, Texas
- Temple, Texas
To find open positions at your nearest H-E-B warehouse go to the H-E-B Careers website at https://careers.heb.com/.
From there, you can see all the current positions in the H-E-B supply chain and complete the online application.
Here’s Your Summary: Does H-E-B Warehouse Hire Felons?
H-E-B warehouse hire convicted felons on a case-by-case basis. You’ll be asked about your criminal convictions on the job application and you’ll need to pass a background check.
Background checks only take place once a conditional job offer has been made. The background check will search 7 years of your history (unless the position pays over $75,000).
Once HR has your background report, they’ll evaluate your offense in relation to the job you’ve applied for. H-E-B has hired felons for warehouse jobs in the past, and the employee onboarding guide states that a criminal record won’t necessarily be disqualifying.