How to find a job with a criminal record
You can get hired with a record, and the law often controls when it comes up. Federal agencies generally can't ask about your criminal history until they make a conditional job offer, and Utah's public employers can't screen you out of a first interview because of a past conviction.112
When an employer runs a background check through a screening company, it needs your written permission and must show you the report before turning you down because of it. Free help is out there too: about 2,300 American Job Centers help people with records find work.310
Updated October 2026. Rules differ by state, so call your office before you go. Questions? We're here: call or text 888-860-RISE.
Your steps, in order
- 1
Know when an employer can ask
Fair chance laws, also called ban-the-box laws, push questions about your record later in hiring, so you're judged on your skills first. They differ by employer and by state.1617
For federal jobs, the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act, signed in December 2019, generally bars agencies from asking before a conditional offer. Exceptions include law enforcement jobs and jobs that need a security clearance.21
If a federal agency asks too early, you have 30 calendar days to file a complaint with that agency.1
- 2
Know your background check rights
An employer must get your written permission before using a background check company. Before deciding not to hire you because of the report, it must give you a copy and a summary of your rights. You can dispute anything wrong or incomplete with the company that made the report.3
Under federal law, screening companies generally can't report arrests more than 7 years old. That limit doesn't cover convictions, and it doesn't apply to jobs paying $75,000 or more a year.4
The EEOC's guidance, still posted on its website in October 2026, says an arrest alone doesn't prove a crime happened. It tells employers to weigh how serious the offense was, how long ago it was, and what the job involves, and to give you a chance to explain.5
Tip:Order your own record before you apply, so nothing in an employer's report surprises you. Our guide on clearing your record shows how.
- 3
Bring tools that make hiring you easier
The Federal Bonding Program, started by the U.S. Department of Labor in 1966, gives employers a free $5,000 fidelity bond covering your first six months on the job. It costs you and the employer nothing. Get one through your state bonding coordinator, listed at bonds4jobs.com.67
The Work Opportunity Tax Credit gave employers up to $2,400 for hiring someone within a year of a felony conviction or release from prison. It lapsed for workers who started after December 31, 2025. As of April 2026 the Labor Department said Congress hadn't renewed it, and states may take requests but can't approve them, so ask whether it's back before you mention it.89
- 4
Plan how you'll talk about your record
Keep it short, honest and pointed forward. Say what happened in one or two sentences, without excuses. Then spend most of your answer on what you've done since: classes, work, treatment, steady housing, people who count on you.
Bring proof. The EEOC lists the kinds of evidence that matter: training and education, work history before and after the offense, and employment or character references.5
Bring- Certificates from programs or classes, inside or out
- A reference letter from a supervisor, case manager or parole officer
- A short, practiced answer about your record (say it out loud a few times)
- Information on the Federal Bonding Program
- 5
Get free help finding work
American Job Centers offer job search help, referrals and placement, with special help for people who've been involved in the justice system. Find one through CareerOneStop's finder or call 1-877-872-5627.10
CareerOneStop, sponsored by the Labor Department, also has a section for job seekers with a criminal record, with tools to explore careers, get training and find a job.11
- 6
Check licensing before you pay for training
Many trades and health jobs need a state license, and a record can affect it. Check before you spend money on school.
In Utah, the Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL) says many licenses aren't denied automatically because of a record, and it posts criminal history guidelines for each profession. You can ask DOPL for a criminal history determination before you even start training, and it answers within 30 days of a complete application. You don't have to list expunged or sealed cases.1415
Fair chance rules: examples
When an employer may ask about your record depends on who the employer is and where you live. These are examples; check your state's labor or civil rights agency.
Utah
Public employers can't screen you out of a first interview over a past conviction, though they may ask during or after it; police, justice-system and child-care employers are among the exceptions. With any private employer, you may answer as though an expunged case never happened.1213
California
Employers with five or more employees generally can't ask about convictions before a job offer. File a complaint with the Civil Rights Department at 800-884-1684.16
Washington
Employers must wait until they've found you otherwise qualified and made a job offer, which can depend on a background check. The law was updated in 2025, effective July 1, 2026 for employers with 15 or more workers and January 1, 2027 for smaller ones. Complaints: 833-660-4877.17
Stuck on a step? You don't have to do this alone.
Call or text, and we'll help you find the right office and what to bring. Someone on our team can step in whenever youwhat to bring, with a real person on our team whenever you need one.apos;d like. Or become a RISING MEMBER: a mentor who's been there helps you build a plan, step by step. You do the work; we walk with you.
Questions people ask
Do I have to tell an employer about my record?
Answer honestly when you're asked, but you may not be asked until later. Federal agencies and many state and local employers have to wait. In Utah, you can answer a private employer as though an expunged case never happened.
How far back can a background check go?
Federal law generally stops screening companies from reporting arrests older than 7 years, but convictions can be reported no matter how old, and the limit doesn't apply to jobs paying $75,000 or more. Some states set tighter limits.
What is the Federal Bonding Program?
A free $5,000 bond that protects an employer against theft or dishonesty during your first six months. It costs you and the employer nothing. Contact your state bonding coordinator through bonds4jobs.com.
Can employers still get a tax credit for hiring me?
The Work Opportunity Tax Credit covered people hired within a year of a felony conviction or release, but it lapsed for workers who started after December 31, 2025. Ask an American Job Center whether Congress has renewed it.
Can I get a professional license with a felony?
Often, yes. Many licenses aren't denied automatically. In Utah, you can ask DOPL for a criminal history determination before you start training, and it answers within 30 days of a complete application.
Keep going: more first-step guides
Sources
Official pages, read in October 2026. Rules change. If something here looks out of date, please let us know at hello@riseaid.org and we'll fix it.
- 1.U.S. Department of the Treasury. The Fair Chance to Compete Act fact sheet
- 2.Federal Register (Office of Personnel Management, 2022). Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs: proposed rule
- 3.Federal Trade Commission. Employer background checks and your rights
- 4.U.S. Code (via Cornell Law School). 15 U.S.C. § 1681c: Information that can't appear in consumer reports
- 5.U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (2012). Enforcement guidance on arrest and conviction records in employment decisions
- 6.The Federal Bonding Program. The Federal Bonding Program
- 7.The Federal Bonding Program. What's in it for employers
- 8.Internal Revenue Service. Work Opportunity Tax Credit
- 9.U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (April 2026). TEGL 09-25: Work Opportunity Tax Credit program guidance
- 10.U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. American Job Centers
- 11.CareerOneStop (U.S. Department of Labor). Job search help for justice-impacted job seekers
- 12.Utah Code (via Justia, 2025). Section 34-52-201: Public employer requirements
- 13.Utah Code (via Justia, 2025). Section 34-52-301: Applicant response about expunged history
- 14.Utah Division of Professional Licensing. Criminal history guidelines
- 15.Utah Division of Professional Licensing. Application for criminal history determination
- 16.California Civil Rights Department. Fair Chance Act
- 17.Washington State Office of the Attorney General. Fair Chance Act