Does lowes hire convicted felons? The home improvement and garden supply retailer has stores and distribution centers across the country.
With numerous roles available, there’s plenty of opportunity for career progression, making Lowe’s a good option for anyone looking for a fresh start.
Lowes employees consistently rate the company as a great place to work with good pay and benefits. Even part-time workers qualify for benefits after a 90-day probation period.
Do Lowes Have A Second Chance Policy?
Lowes recognizes that people with a criminal background can become valuable employees. That’s why they partnered with the Second Chance Business Coalition in 2021, joining the ranks of 47 major employers committed to more inclusive hiring practices.
So that’s good news! When you apply to work at Lowes, you won’t be automatically disqualified because of your felony.
This doesn’t mean that you’re guaranteed a job, only that you won’t be unfairly discriminated against because of your criminal record.
Lowes still needs to safeguard their merchandise, their employees, and their customers, so they’re going to use their judgment when they make a hiring decision about a former felon.
Lowes has also joined the Ban The Box initiative. This means you won’t have to check a box on the application indicating that you’ve got a criminal conviction.
Your initial application will be assessed on your qualifications and employment history, which gives you a much higher chance of being invited for an interview.
Does Lowes Hire Convicted Felons For Retail Positions?
Yes, Lowes hire felons to work at their retail stores on a case-by-case basis, so you should put in an application. Some types of felony will be more difficult for Lowes to overlook, especially felony convictions for theft, fraud, violence, or sexual offenses.
Having previous retail experience or customer service experience will be helpful. Being knowledgeable about or having an interest in tools, DIY, home remodeling, or gardening will be a plus factor as well.
Because of your felony, entry-level jobs will be easier to get than team leader or store management positions, but once you’ve established a reliable track record, you can apply for more senior roles.
If you enjoy interacting with customers, consider applying for one of the following store positions.
Work As A Cashier At Lowes
Cashiers greet customers, ring up and bag customer purchases, handle product exchanges, maintain a tidy checkout area, and inform customers about Lowes’ reward program and financing options. You’ll need to know how to use a computer and a smartphone or tablet.
Work As A Retail Sales Associate At Lowes
As a retail sales associate, you’ll become an expert on the products in your department. Advising customers and helping them choose the right products is a big part of your role.
You’ll also suggest related products to customers, making sure they have everything they need to complete their projects.
This job involves a lot of standing and walking, and because you’ll need to restock merchandise, you’ll need to be able to bend down and lift to 25 pounds.
Work As A Stocker/Receiver At Lowes
If you don’t enjoy working in a customer-facing role, then a job as a stocker/receiver could be a better fit for you. Positions are available on day or night shifts.
As a Lowes stocker/receiver, you’ll unload delivery trucks and move merchandise to the sales floor or backroom. You’ll replace store shelving, keep areas clean and tidy, and make sure power equipment is charged.
This is a physically demanding role, so you’ll need to be fit.
Does Lowes Distribution Hire felons?
Lowes distribution centers hire felons on a case-by-case basis. Whether they will hire you depends on the type of felony you have a conviction for, how much time has passed since the offense took place, and what your record has been like since you were released from prison or completed your probation.
Having previous warehouse experience will make you a more attractive candidate, as will any forklift truck, reach truck, or center rider training you’ve completed.
Lowes distribution centers operate around the clock, and you’ll have a range of shifts to choose from. Here are two entry-level positions you can apply for.
Work As A Warehouse Associate At Lowes
The most common entry-level position at Lowes distribution is a warehouse distribution team member. In this role, you’ll be assigned various tasks which include unloading and loading trucks, moving merchandise using powered equipment, and preparing store orders.
You’ll need to be physically fit because you’ll always be moving around and lifting heavy loads (up to 70 pounds). Distribution centers are noisy working environments. They can also be freezing in the winter and boiling in the summer, so be prepared for that.
Work As A Warehouse Quality Assurance Associate At Lowes
As a member of the quality assurance team, you’ll monitor warehouse inventory levels and resolve discrepancies between the physical inventory in the warehouse and the stock levels reported in the computer system.
You’ll need a High School Diploma or GED, and you should be comfortable using computers and handheld devices. Having a degree will be a bonus, as will having a working knowledge of Excel or a data management system.
Does Lowes Run A Background Check?
When you apply for a job at Lowes, you’ll be asked to consent to a background check. Lowes uses an outside background checking agency called First Advantage. The background check takes place once you’ve accepted a conditional job offer.
When Lowes looks at your criminal background report, they’ll judge whether your offense will interfere with your ability to do the job.
Does Lowes hire convicted felons with theft charges? A felony conviction for theft will often lead to disqualification, unfortunately. But you should still apply and go through the background check because you may be accepted.
Will Lowes hire someone with a felony for assault? You won’t be automatically rejected for a violent offense, but your felony could mean that Lowes can’t employ you because of insurance liability issues.
Does Lowes hire convicted felons with a DUI? A DUI conviction may make Lowes think twice about you hiring you for a warehouse role where the job involves operating powered equipment. A DUI will also be a problem if you’re applying for a driving job.
Plenty of workers at Lowes stores and distribution centers have been hired despite having a felony in their past. Lowes is definitely a felon-friendly employer, but there’s no way to know with any certainty how they’ll view your background unless you apply and find out.
How Far Does The Background Check Go?
Your Lowes background check will go back as far as state law allows. In some states, that’s 7 years, while in other states,s they can go through your entire history.
States with a 7-year limit include:
- California
- Colorado
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Hawaii
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Montana
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Mexico
- New York
- Texas
- Washington
Background reports usually take 5 to 7 days to complete, but if your felony offense is on your record, expect to wait at least 2 weeks for a decision.
Does Lowes Drug Test During the Hiring Process?
Lowes will ask you to take a drug test, and if you don’t pass, they won’t hire you.
Drug tests for store positions take place right after your interview if you’ve been offered a job on the spot. If you receive a call offering you a position, you’ll usually be asked to take a drug test on the same day as well.
Stores use oral drug tests. That means they’ll use a swab to take a sample of your saliva. You won’t get the result right away because the sample is sent away to a lab for analysis. Expect to wait around 5 days to find out if you passed.
Saliva drug tests can detect illegal substances for 48 to 72 hours. Employees discussing Lowes drug testing policy have reported that the company no longer tests for THC, but to be on the safe side, it’s best to abstain for a few days before your interview.
Lowes distribution centers also use saliva drug tests for most positions. However, if you’ve applied for a CDL driving position, you’ll need to take a urine test. Urinalysis is the drug testing method mandated for all CDL drivers by the Department of Transportation.
How To Get Hired At Lowes
Lowes encourages anyone interested in working for the company to visit their careers website and apply for positions online. To search for jobs in your Zip Code, visit https://talent.lowes.com/us/en.
When you find a position you want to apply for, follow the steps to create a profile, then fill out your information.
Once your application is in the system, the hiring manager will contact you to arrange an interview. You could get a call the same day you apply if the manager needs to hire someone in a hurry. Make sure you answer your phone calls and check your messages so you don’t miss out.
Lowes Interview Questions
Interviews for entry-level jobs at most companies ask a fairly standard set of questions, and the interview at Lowes isn’t anything to worry about. These are some of the common questions you should expect to get.
Q: Tell me about yourself.
A: Give a summary of your responsibilities in your current job, outline your previous roles and your education, mention your interests, then complete the picture by explaining how your skills and interests make you a good fit for the job.
Q: Why do you want to work at Lowes?
A: Explain that working in retail is a good fit for your personality, that you’re interested in DIY and home improvement, and that from your research, you’ve learned that Lowes is a great place to build a career.
Q: Why did you leave your previous job?
A: Be honest, but don’t be negative about your employer. Talk about wanting more challenging work, a more team-focused working environment, or more opportunities to progress.
Q: What is your greatest strength?
A: Here you can talk about your organizational abilities, ability to be an effective team member, that you’re hardworking and take pride in your work, or that you love to learn new skills. Whatever strengths you focus on, make sure they’re related to your work life.
Q: What is your greatest weakness?
A: With this question, the interviewer is looking for honesty and self-awareness. Your weakness should be work-related and be something you can improve, for example, a reluctance to delegate, a dislike of public speaking, or being too self-critical.
Q: Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
A: Talk about how you want to advance within the company by learning as much as possible and taking on more responsibility when opportunities come up.
Q: How would you handle an upset customer?
A: Mention that you would actively listen to the customer, apologize for the issue, and reassure them you’ll do everything possible to resolve their complaint.
If the matter isn’t something you have the authority to make a decision on, you would ask the customer to be patient while you call over a supervisor.
Should You Mention Your Felony At Your Lowes Interview?
If you live in a state that doesn’t limit background checks or if your felony is fairly recent, you should mention your conviction during your interview.
Your felony is going to show up on your background check, so it’s important to get ahead of it and take the opportunity to explain what happened and how you’ve moved beyond that regrettable episode in your past.
If you haven’t had any coaching to help you with this part of the interview process, consider reaching out to a re-entry organization for help.
Re-entry organizations will also know about employers in your area who hire felons, so if you’re having trouble finding a job on your own, get in touch with your local groups.
You should also provide character references and proof of any treatment or offender education programs you’ve completed.
If the hiring manager is happy with your interview, you could be offered a job on the spot, or they may call you later that day.
The job offer is only conditional, though; you still have to pass the background check and drug test.
Does Lowes Hire Felons? Final Thoughts
Will Lowes hire someone with a felony? The answer is yes, they will, but they won’t hire every felon that applies for a job.
Lowes is a second-chance employer, and they have felon-friendly hiring polices, but you’ll still need to pass a background check, and your felony could be disqualifying based on the nature of the offense, its age, and the background check period allowable by law in your state.
Entry-level retail and distribution center roles will be easier to qualify for than roles with greater responsibility, so focus your job search on those positions to get a foot in the door at Lowes.