try a search of old job postings online (before 2012) where they advertised taking work opportunity tax credit hires (WOTC, i.e., felons). Looks like Macys did.

Second DC Central Kitchen. They have a culinary training program and placement service for ex-offenders who complete the program. The culinary training is actually fantastic.

DC central kitchen?

I have a friend who is awaiting sentencing on a pretty serious drug charge. She was just hired by a restaurant, as a waitress, and she was told by Starbucks (where she has worked previously) that she can be hired back by them after her case is "complete" (they can't hire her until she is sentenced is how I understand it).

The problem is that there are lots of people without records also trying to find jobs so it is better for the employer to hire the person with the clean record. If anything goes wrong and it turns out that the employee involved had a record, it can sink a business. So it isn't personal, just good business to hire people that have clean records when there is a big supply of employees to choose from.

There are a few stores that don't do record checks like
Dollar Tree, Popeyes, Little Caesars and Cinemark - definitely entry level jobs but if it is that or no job, it might be an option.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's so hard. I am a public defender and my clients have an incredibly difficult time finding employment even years after their incarceration. Metro is good about hiring non-violent offenders in various capacities (bus drivers, construction etc.) Otherwise, group homes or services for youth sometimes hire ex-offenders as mentors.

Curious -- do most employers, even for an entry-level labor position, run background checks these days?

YES!!! Seems like just about every employer runs a background check

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's so hard. I am a public defender and my clients have an incredibly difficult time finding employment even years after their incarceration. Metro is good about hiring non-violent offenders in various capacities (bus drivers, construction etc.) Otherwise, group homes or services for youth sometimes hire ex-offenders as mentors.

Curious -- do most employers, even for an entry-level labor position, run background checks these days?

Metro does. But, Metro is a good option if the record has been clean for many years and the prospective employee is honest about it the record. Metro doesn't do it's own construction anymore - it's done by the respective jurisdictions. But bus operator positions are an option if the driving record is also clean.

Anonymous wrote:Depending on where he lives, he should be able to contact a local outreach program who will have some recommendations. What has he been doing for the last 20 years? That may be the larger problem.

My cousin is a former drug addict who spend a year in prison on dealing charges. She's now back in college and works as a waitress at a local restaurant.

He's had a few jobs, although he only found these jobs through friends willing to hire him. He worked as a physical fitness trainer for over 10 years, and he also work as a clerk at a DC law firm and he also had a warehouse job

Anonymous wrote:It's so hard. I am a public defender and my clients have an incredibly difficult time finding employment even years after their incarceration. Metro is good about hiring non-violent offenders in various capacities (bus drivers, construction etc.) Otherwise, group homes or services for youth sometimes hire ex-offenders as mentors.

Curious -- do most employers, even for an entry-level labor position, run background checks these days?

Anonymous wrote:Depending on where he lives, he should be able to contact a local outreach program who will have some recommendations.

+1

There are lots of small businesses that partner with outreach programs to employ ex-offenders. It's probably best to work with the known outreach programs as he'll already have a reference and a support system.

It's so hard. I am a public defender and my clients have an incredibly difficult time finding employment even years after their incarceration. Metro is good about hiring non-violent offenders in various capacities (bus drivers, construction etc.) Otherwise, group homes or services for youth sometimes hire ex-offenders as mentors.

Depending on where he lives, he should be able to contact a local outreach program who will have some recommendations. What has he been doing for the last 20 years? That may be the larger problem.

My cousin is a former drug addict who spend a year in prison on dealing charges. She's now back in college and works as a waitress at a local restaurant.

I've been trying to help an ex-offender find a job in the DC area and it seems nearly impossible. His offense was drug related (over 20 years ago) and employers do not want to hire him because of this. He is willing to work just about any job for minimum wage......for ex, custodian, fast food, parking lot attendant, food services, front desk, etc. He's a nice guy, very polite and personable, and he would fit in anywhere. He's also a very talented musician (drummer) and toured with some well known performers. He has no drug/alcohol addictions. He has an Associate's degree from Howard University and he has basic computer skills.

If anyone can help, please let me know. He needs to find a job asap so that he doesn't end up living on the street.

I met him while volunteering as a "job coach" at a local organization. He showed up for class early every day, completed his homework, and has been working relentlessly to find a job.

Any help would be greatly appreciated! thanks