Yes. UNFI does hire some people with felony convictions. Final hiring decisions are made on a case-by-case basis following a criminal background check.
While UNFI doesn’t advertise itself as a second-chance employer, employees report that people with felonies have been hired in the past.
The age of your conviction, what it was for, the job you want, and the background check laws in your state will all affect the final decision.
If the job fits your experience, UNFI is worth applying to.
Does UNFI Have a Felony Hiring Policy?
UNFI’s published policies don’t include information about their felony hiring guidelines. But if we look at job listings, we can see that UNFI doesn’t treat a criminal record as an automatic no in every case.
Some current UNFI job listings state that qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered in line with applicable fair chance laws.
Fair chance laws do several things depending on the state/city. They can:
- Limit how far the lookback period on a criminal background check can go
- Only allow employers to consider offenses that are directly relevant to the job
- Require employers to carry out an individual assessment instead of using a blanket policy that applies to every applicant with a felony
Don’t expect every UNFI location to use the same process. State and local laws change when an employer is allowed to ask about criminal history and what they must consider before withdrawing an offer.
Have People With Felonies Actually Been Hired by UNFI?
Yes. Employee reports online confirm that UNFI hires applicants with felony records.
One report said felonies weren’t a bar to employment when someone asked about a conviction that was six years old. Another said UNFI would hire someone whose felony was five years old.
Because UNFI has distribution centers and other facilities in different states, felons in one city can find it easier to get hired than felons in another part of the country.
The type and age of the felony conviction on your record will also matter.
A five-year-old drug conviction may not matter for a warehouse position, while a recent theft conviction could.
A DUI may not matter for a sanitation role, but it could definitely be a problem if you applied for a job driving a forklift or one that requires a CDL.
Does UNFI Run a Background Check?
Yes. UNFI job postings for warehouse positions state that applicants need to pass a criminal background check before starting work. Some listings also mention a drug test.
A former UNFI recruiter shared some details about the background check used at the Indiana distribution center. According to that report, UNFI is mostly concerned about violent charges in the last 7 years.
Don’t take that as a green light for every non-violent felony, but it’s a useful indicator showing that UNFI, in Indiana at least, doesn’t automatically reject candidates with criminal records.
How Far Back Does the UNFI Background Check Go?
There isn’t a confirmed company-wide answer.
Employee reports suggest the lookback can vary, and state law also changes what a background screening company can report.
That means someone applying in California could face a different background check from someone applying in Indiana or Pennsylvania.
UNFI also hires for very different types of work. A warehouse picker, an accountant, and a CDL driver aren’t all going through the same checks.
If your conviction is more than seven years old, it may still show up depending on where you live and the type of record involved. Don’t assume an old felony has disappeared just because a certain number of years have passed.
Does UNFI Drug Test?
Yes, many UNFI jobs include a pre-employment drug test. Current warehouse listings mention drug screening as part of the hiring process, and employee reports back that up.
The actual test differs by location. Some employees report urine tests, while others say they had a mouth swab.
Marijuana is another area where procedures vary. If you’re applying in a state where recreational marijuana is legal, don’t assume that means UNFI won’t test for it. Employer drug-testing rules and marijuana laws don’t always line up.
Drivers are in a different category. CDL drivers are always subject to federal DOT drug and alcohol testing rules, regardless of what UNFI does for warehouse or office staff.
What UNFI Jobs Are Best for Felons?
UNFI regularly hires for jobs like:
- Warehouse order selector
- Loader
- Receiver
- Lift operator
- Inventory worker
- Sanitation worker
- General warehouse associate
These jobs don’t necessarily have easier background checks. They just don’t come with some of the extra barriers attached to driving, finance, or management positions.
Warehouse work at UNFI can be physically demanding, though. Some jobs involve repeated lifting, freezer or refrigerated areas, fast picking targets, and overnight shifts.
Can You Drive for UNFI With a Felony?
Possibly. There are reports of people with felony records being hired for driving jobs, but CDL positions come with extra checks that warehouse jobs don’t.
UNFI will need to look at your driving record, CDL status, and whether you meet DOT safety requirements.
A felony drug possession conviction from years ago may be less relevant to a driving job than a recent DUI, reckless driving conviction, or offense that caused your license to be suspended.
If your felony didn’t affect your CDL and your motor vehicle record is otherwise acceptable, it’s worth applying.
Is UNFI Worth Applying To With a Felony?
Yes. There’s enough evidence showing that UNFI hires people with felony records to make an application worthwhile.
You should expect a background check, and many jobs also require a drug test. Where you apply and the type of job you apply for will also affect the hiring decision.
Someone with a five-year-old conviction applying for warehouse work in one state may get a very different decision from someone with a recent conviction applying for a driving job somewhere else.
If you meet the job requirements, apply and let UNFI make the decision.
UNFI Felony Hiring FAQ
Does UNFI hire people with theft convictions?
Possibly. A theft conviction may cause more problems for jobs involving inventory, money, or purchasing. The age of the conviction and your work history since then will also matter.
Does UNFI hire people with recent felonies?
It can, but recent convictions are usually harder to get past. Employee reports show people being hired with convictions around five or six years old. It’s unclear how UNFI handles very recent felonies across every location.
Can you work at a UNFI warehouse with a felony?
Yes. People with felony records have reported being hired by UNFI, and warehouse jobs are among the positions worth checking. You will still need to pass the background screening used at that location.
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Does UNFI hire felons as drivers?
Yes, some employees with felonies have been hired in the past. But CDL jobs have stricter requirements than warehouse jobs.
Your driving record, license status, DOT requirements, and the type of conviction will all come into the decision.