Does Amazon Hire Sex Offenders In 2024?

With over 1.3 million employees, Amazon is the largest employer in the U.S. and the second-largest employer in the world.

Aside from law-abiding citizens, Amazon might also hire felons, depending on the severity of the offense, how long ago the crime occurred, whether it was a one-time thing, and other relevant circumstances.

On the other hand, sex offenders might find it more challenging to find a job at Amazon.

Finding a Job as a Sex Offender

In most cases, sex-related crimes are considered felonies – offenses of high seriousness that are punishable by a minimum of one year in prison or the death penalty.

Once a felon serves their sentence, and they are released from prison, they struggle to find jobs because most companies refuse to hire individuals with a criminal record.

Check out this list of companies that have a track record of hiring felons.

Did you know? Once you commit a felony, it will stay on your criminal record forever. The only way to remove it is by expunging it, but this is only possible for some offenses and is a complicated process.

When you apply for a job, the employer will probably run a background check on you, no matter what industry you want to work in.

Sex-related crimes are more serious than some other felonies. That’s why sex offenders run into more obstacles when they try to find work than, let’s say, those who committed burglary, blackmail, or even assault. This especially applies to sex offenses related to children or minors.

Applying For Amazon Jobs as a Sex Offender

There are a few things sex offenders should be aware of if they want to work for Amazon.
Firstly, even though Amazon doesn’t have a special program for felons, this global company does hire ex-offenders.

Keep in mind that Amazon isn’t a “Ban the Box” company. The “Ban the Box” law prevents employers from asking job candidates if they have a criminal history during the interview.

As a result, the candidate won’t be discriminated against. If they don’t get the job, it won’t be because of their criminal background. While many companies have adopted this policy, Amazon isn’t one of them. In other words, Amazon will run a criminal background check on you.

This brings us to the second matter you must take into consideration. Even though Amazon hires felons, the company won’t make it so easy for sex offenders.

There is no guarantee you’ll be hired, no matter how much time has passed since your conviction and incarceration. That being said, it won’t hurt to apply and see if they will give you a chance.

The charges may be overlooked if the crime happened a long time ago. Amazon will probably also want to know how old you were when you committed the sex crime and how you served your time.

If you’ve been rehabilitated since and have proof of improved behavior, it might increase your chances of getting hired.

Even more importantly, Amazon will only hire ex-felons who haven’t committed a new crime in the past seven years. If you’ve just been released from prison, you won’t be able to work for Amazon yet. But if you’re a re-offender, you definitely won’t be able to work for the company.

Did you know? If you want to work for Amazon, you’ll also be subjected to a drug test.

Since there is no doubt that your sex offense will show up on the background check, you need to prepare for this question during the interview.

The worst thing you can do is lie about your criminal history or try to cover it up. Being honest and upfront about your background will increase your chances of getting hired.

Jobs at Amazon Sex Offenders Can Do

If you do get a job at Amazon, it will likely be a temporary job or an entry-level position. However, if you gather some experience and perform well, you might be promoted to a permanent position.

These are some of the jobs sex offenders can be hired for at Amazon.

Warehouse Staff

If you don’t mind a job that requires some physical activity, you can work in one of Amazon’s warehouses. If you work in this department, you’ll be responsible for handling packages.

For example, you can be a stower, whose task is to organize shipped items in pods in the warehouse. You can also place these items into carts and send them to be packed.

Check out other warehouse jobs for felons.

Delivery Personnel

You can also deliver Amazon packages to customers. But only felons with a clean driving record will be eligible for this job.

Delivering packages is also ideal for those who prefer to work alone. All you need to do is deliver packages to clients’ addresses. Offenders with truck driving experience are more likely to get this job.

Customer Support

If you’re good with words and understand how to explain things, you can also work on Amazon’s customer support team. Keep in mind that this job usually requires a lot of patience.

These types of positions can vary. You might be responsible for helping customers and answering their questions. If you excel at this job, you might even be promoted to an in-house position.

How to Improve Your Chances of Working for Amazon

Just because you have a criminal background doesn’t mean that you will be automatically turned down for a job at Amazon.

To improve your chances of getting hired, you need to get acquainted with Amazon’s hiring process. You can find a lot of research online. There are tons of useful information on Amazon’s website as well, where you can check out the different types of open positions.

Another step you can take is to work on your resume and your cover letter. If this isn’t your strong point, you can always get these documents professionally reviewed.

The next step is to prepare for the interview. Since you can expect to be asked about your criminal background, make sure to prepare an appropriate answer. You can even run a background check on yourself before the interview.

Most importantly, when asked about your offense, you must be honest and not try to hide it. This is your chance to convince the hiring agent that your past is behind you. Explain how you have changed and what lessons you learned following your conviction.

Get Hired at Amazon With a Criminal Record

Amazon has been known to hire ex-felons who have served their punishment and are looking for a second chance. If you’re a convicted sex offender, you might be able to get a job at Amazon as well.

Just make sure to prepare for the interview and be honest about your criminal history.