Top 9 Inclusive Employers for Ex-Offenders
When you’re on the job hunt, there are plenty of reasons that employers may use to rule you out of contention. It may be due to a lack of experience, insufficient qualifications or simply because they have found someone else who is better suited to the role.
However, one thing that shouldn’t automatically rule you out of landing a job is whether you have a criminal record. While it was once traditionally more difficult to find work as an ex-offender, there are now a number of employers who take an active role in employing people with criminal records. This means you can safely avoid commercial litigation regarding your employment status.
Here, we’ve put together a list of nine of the best UK companies to seek a job from if you have a criminal record. No need to worry about being penalised for not having a clear DBS Check!
We’ll also answer a few frequently asked questions related to being employed as an ex-offender. Take a look…
1. TEsco
Tesco has an inclusive recruitment policy which means that they are able to provide plenty of opportunities to ex-offenders. The supermarket chain also works alongside the prison service to provide opportunities to people who are in custody. There is a wide range of jobs on offer with Tesco that aren’t restricted to being on the shop floor. Delivery jobs, warehouse jobs and office jobs are all potentially on offer.
2. Pret a Manger
Pret a Manger runs a well-known scheme that offers around 70 places a year to people with convictions and/or the homeless. The scheme enables individuals to access a three-month work placement within Pret stores which, if successful, often lead to a full-time job.
3. Co-op
The Co-op offers a range of different employment opportunities for people with convictions, as well as providing financial education within UK prisons. They also work to help people who are being released to set up bank accounts. Alongside being a traditional highstreets food retailer, The Co-op is also an insurance provider, legal service provider and offer funeral services. This demonstrates the broad array of jobs they may be able to deliver.
4. Virgin Group
Virgin Group actively encourages the recruitment of people with convictions in the local community, as well as those who are in custody and are working towards release. Back in 2011, founder of the Virgin Group, Richard Branson, said of the matter: “Everybody deserves a second chance. A lot of people end up in [prison] because they've had a lot of bad luck in their lives.
“I could easily have spent time in prison myself over importing records and not paying tax. Then I would have had great difficulty finding a job. Virgin might never have happened and the 60,000 people we now employ might not have had jobs.”
5. Timpson
Timpson, a leading retail service in the UK, is also a leading employer when it comes to ex-offender recruitment. They employ more prison leavers than any other company. They provide training workshops in prisons that train up to 35 apprentices at any one time, with successful applicants going to work in Timpson stores. Timpson also helps other employers to employ people with convictions.
6. National Grid
The National Grid operates a Young Offender Programme throughout 22 prisons and also provide training and employment after offenders are released. They also act in an agency capacity to over 80 other companies they have links with.
7. Compass Group
Compass Group have involvement in food services, healthcare, education, and sport and leisure. They offer opportunities to people with convictions, having been one of many organisations that wrote an open letter to the Financial Times indicating the positive experiences they’ve had with employing former offenders.
8. Boots
Boots are one of the founding members of ‘Ban the Box’ in the UK. This is a campaign to encourage the employment of people from all walks of life, free from prejudice. The idea stems from removing the tick box from application forms so that employers can only ask about criminal convictions later on in the recruitment process.
9. Greggs
Greggs first started working with ex-offenders in 2010, when they visited women’s prisons to build up their employability skills. Since then, they’ve been regularly offering opportunities to ex-offenders, claiming that they are among their most loyal employees.
Frequently Asked Questions About Finding a Job with a Criminal Record
Do I Have to Disclose My Criminal Record to an Employer?
You only have to disclose that you have a criminal record if you’re asked by an employer. That being said, if you’re aware that an employer is likely to carry out a formal criminal record check, or they will find out about your criminal record in some other way, it may be best to disclose it yourself.
WhEn’s the Best Time to Disclose a Criminal Record?
There’s no set time when you should disclose your criminal record, and this will be dependent on the recruitment process set by the employer. As a general rule, the earlier, the better.
How Can I Disclose That I Have a Criminal Record?
If you aren’t asked to disclose your criminal record in a certain way (such as a tick box in an application form) then you should approach this in a way that feels most comfortable to you. A face-to-face conversation is often the easiest and preferred choice for many employers.
Are You Currently Looking for a Job with a Criminal Record?
This list of employers certainly isn’t exhaustive and there are plenty more local and national companies who are willing to accept applications, regardless of your personal circumstances. If you’re currently looking for work as an ex-offender, one of the best organisations you can get in contact with is the charity Unlock. Unlock is an independent award-winning national charity that provides a voice and support for people who are facing stigma and obstacles because of their criminal record, often long after they have served their sentence. You can find them here.
For more information about our mission and how our screening solutions can be utilised by your business, get in touch! You can give us a call on 01254 355688 or drop us an email at letstalk@personnelchecks.co.uk