Does USPS Hire Felons? Here’s All You Need to Know

The United States Postal Service (USPS) is one of the largest postal services in the United States, whipped and shipped 6.3 billion parcels in 2021. The USPS, also known as the US Mail or postal service, is a part of the United States federal government, which oversees postal services in the country.

The USPS is one of the major employment providers in the United States, and as of 2021, it had at least 516,636 employees. The employees vary from multiple departments, like drivers, mechanics, sales representatives, mail handlers, and many more.

USPS is a company that is willing to provide career opportunities to everyone. So, now the questions are does USPS hire felons? Or does the Post Office Hire Felons? Get your answers by reading along with us.

Does the USPS Hire Felons?

Yes, USPS hires felons but hiring felons at the USPS is a little more complex than hiring a non-felon. 

As the USPS is a quasi-government agency, it does not follow all the rules that apply to federal corporations. This is an exciting benefit for felons because government jobs typically reject applicants with a felony conviction. Any felony conviction, regardless of when it happened, found through a background check may prevent a candidate from being hired by USPS. Felony convictions for mail fraud or any other offence involving theft, dishonesty, or a breach of trust are included in this.

The USPS hires felons on a case-by-case basis. USPS takes rehabilitation efforts into account and offers employment options. The postal service states that former offenders who can demonstrate that they have made a successful rehabilitation from their crimes are eligible to work for it. As long as they disclose their criminal history when questioned, felons have the same chance as everyone else to land a job.

The United States Postal Service is the country’s second-largest employer. It has more than 34000 post offices across the country. All of these post offices need employees. The pay is excellent for a job that does not require formal education. For all entry-level positions, the starting hourly wage is $21. On average, a postal worker earns $72,000 per year. 

Also, post office staff members are offered the same benefits as federal workers, such as health insurance, great retirement benefits, more holidays than most jobs, and consistent pay increases, making it an excellent option if you are looking for a job.

There is no official policy governing hiring felons with criminal histories at the post office. Some felonies, however, might preclude applicants from certain post office jobs. For instance, if you are a registered sex offender, it’s highly likely you cannot work as a mail carrier. This is because sex offenders cannot be in close proximity to playgrounds or schools.

Also, if one of your felonies involved vehicular offenses, you might not be hired to operate a mail truck for obvious reasons.

Similarly, you might not be hired to operate a cash register if you were convicted of theft-related offenses. 

But that shouldn’t stop you from applying and trying to get a job at the USPS.

The post office has a good track record of hiring former felons. The USPS offers equal employment opportunities to all applicants including former felons. As a result, the post office is more likely to consider you a unique individual and give you a chance.

The post office considers the kind of crime you committed and when it happened. It would be best if you had only one felony. Your age at the time of the felony can also be taken into account.

And it will be very helpful if you can present any testimonials that demonstrate your life has changed for the better. A good way to display character is by volunteering in your community.

What Does the USPS Check While Hiring Felons?

The USPS runs various checks on each candidate before hiring felons or offering them a job. Let’s have a look at various checks done by USPS.

1. Credit history

USPS may check your credit history during background checks for a variety of reasons. The most frequent justification is that your credit history can show your trustworthiness. These credit checks don’t include your credit scores, but they reveal whether you’ve made on-time payments and might include information about your previous addresses and employers.

For instance, if the job requires you to manage money, the employer will use the credit report to determine whether it would be worth the risk to hire you after conducting an employment screening.

2. Qualifications

You must be a US citizen or a permanent resident of one of its territories. Applicants must also be 18 years or older to be eligible for entry-level jobs with the USPS. Along with it, you should have a high school diploma and be fluent in spoken and written English. 

Also, you may need to complete a road test if you apply for a driver position. If you don’t pass the road test, you probably won’t get the job because it’s part of the hiring process.

3. Background check

All job candidates are subject to a criminal background check. The USPS uses both state and federal databases when conducting background checks. Even though they have some rules and follow certain campaigns, they ensure that only employees with good rehabilitative records are hired and must not have any felony convictions in their history. 

The USPS background check will also consider any convictions or charges that are still pending in addition to a person’s driving history, particularly for jobs that require the operation of a motor vehicle. The employer may perform a more thorough background check on the hired felons after making an offer of employment.

4. Drug test

The potential new hired felons at USPS  typically go through a pre-screening process that includes a drug test as well as a background check. It is important to note that not all USPS positions require drug testing or medical assessment. It all comes down to the type of job you’re looking for.

Candidates with a history of drug or alcohol misuse may be asked to go through additional medical assessment or counselling. For example, jobs that require driving or contact with the public, such as mail carrier positions or roles behind the post office counter, may necessitate drug testing.

Even though marijuana has been legalized in many states, it is still classified as a drug under federal law. And the US Postal Service is a federal agency.

What Type of Jobs Do Felons Get at the USPS?

The USPS hires a majority of felons for entry-level positions. The main reason is that they have less education than others. Some of the common entry-level jobs that the USPS hires felons for are listed below:

• City carrier
• Mail handler
• Sales associate
• Mail processing clerk
• Distribution associate

Each role has different demands regarding expertise and experience, so it is critical to do your homework before applying. However, these positions allow you to work for a reputed organization, which will help you shape a new career.

How to Apply for a Job as a Felon?

The application process for a USPS postal job is similar whether you have a criminal record or not. The first step is to look for jobs on an online job board.

You can look for available job opportunities based on criteria like location and department. This search does not require the creation of a candidate profile. You will, however, be required to create one when submitting an application.

Here’s how you can apply for a job at USPS:

1. Start by visiting the USPS official website’s careers page.
2. Check all of the open positions on the site.
3. Choose the position for which you want to apply and then proceed.
4. You do not need to log in to view the job openings; however, logging in is required when applying for the job. 

Typically, the jobs will necessitate the completion of an assessment questionnaire. The questionnaire will assess your ability to read addresses, fill out forms, and use a code. You also need to complete a personality test.

After you have submitted the test, the results will be available in an hour. If you fail the exam, you must wait four months before attempting it again. And if you pass the test, you may be called for an in-person interview.

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Conclusion 

The USPS is a company that gives a fair chance to everyone. It considers past convictions and does not discriminate in the hiring process. So if you are trying to get your life back on course, go ahead and apply for jobs with the USPS. Look out for job openings on the USPS website, and don’t hesitate to apply.

Along with having a stable job, you will also receive some of the best benefits. However, there is a lot of competition for jobs, so you must be exceptionally talented and qualified to get one. Performing effectively in your jobs will give you a lot of boosts. Make sure you use software like upper, which will reduce your efforts and will help you to grow in your profession.