Aldi is a desirable place to work, as the company has a history of treating its employees well, with excellent compensation and benefits packages. It’s a terrific place to try and move up the ranks because your pay can take off the higher you go.
But does Aldi hire felons? Can people with felony convictions even get a start at a company like Aldi? Here’s what you need to know!
Does Aldi Hire Felons In [currentyear]?
Aldi does hire felons, though it handles the applications on a case-by-case basis as of [currentyear]. Applicants whose felony convictions reside in the distant past and who have shown considerable growth and rehabilitation have the best chance of obtaining employment with Aldi. Applicants are encouraged to be upfront, as the background check will reveal any discrepancies.
Let’s look more closely at Aldi’s background check policies, if misdemeanor convictions can bar you from employment, and if Aldi drug tests before employment. Read on!
Does Aldi Require Background Checks?
As part of the onboarding process, Aldi does run a background check on every potential new hire.
According to FelonyRecordHub.com, the background checks go back seven years and search for any sign of a criminal record.
So, if you applied and did not disclose that you are a convicted felon, you might have a hard time moving forward with the onboarding when your fib is revealed.
Why lie about it? The company has an inclusive policy that states:
“When considering criminal history information, Aldi complies with all local, state, and federal laws, regulations, and administrative guidance. A conviction will not automatically disqualify any applicant from employment. Instead, we review relevant criminal history before making any employment decision and conduct an individualized assessment in every situation.”
Also, Aldi recognizes that everyone makes mistakes and is willing to overlook a previous one, provided the applicant has shown considerable strides since.
With that, that means a respectable work history and no further interactions with the law.
Of course, Aldi will also look at the nature and severity of the crime, and theft and sexually related violent crimes are difficult to overlook.
Further, The Relaunch Pad reports that there is evidence from people online that Aldi has indeed hired someone with a felony conviction in their past.
Therefore, if you have disclosed on your application that you were convicted of a felony and you are still concerned about the background check, you can be proactive.
Put differently, take advantage of any opportunity to speak face-to-face with someone.
Being able to explain yourself in your own words, with the benefit of the other person seeing the sincerity on your face, is better than any job application.
Will Aldi Hire You With A Misdemeanor?
It does appear that Aldi will hire someone with a misdemeanor conviction, particularly since it will hire someone with a felony on their record.
Of course, a misdemeanor is a lesser charge than a felony.
But the same rules will apply: Is the misdemeanor more recent? What was the nature of the crime? Has the applicant shown growth and rehabilitation since then?
Further, the prospective employee’s eligibility will hinge on the answers to these questions, just as they would for a convicted felon.
Also, misdemeanor charges may be lesser, but they should still be disclosed during the application process if asked.
That said, failure to do so and then for it to show up during the background check can make the applicant look dishonest and untrustworthy.
Does Aldi Call Previous Employers?
Listing former employers is essential for the Aldi job application, so it must be done truthfully, as Aldi may opt to call one or multiple of these.
However, you might not know that Aldi would be limited in what it can ask a former employer.
For example, Chron reports that HR can ask the former employer if they would rehire the applicant in some states.
Still, the former employer might be limited to just giving a yes/no answer, but as Chron points out, a “no” does tell Aldi something, especially if the company had reservations.
Moreover, what the former employer can disclose legally is different from state to state, so check out this page at Nolo.com to find your state and how much your previous jobs can tell.
As you can see, some are limited to just comments on job performance, while others can even disclose why the termination occurred.
Does Aldi Drug Test?
Aldi may not necessarily drug test every new hire, but it’s best to go into the onboarding process assuming that you will be tested (a urine test).
Additionally, it is common enough practice that you are better off understanding right off the bat that you will get tested.
Further, when you work for Aldi, you are consenting to random drug tests throughout your employment.
To learn more, you can also read our posts on what is Aldi, is Aldi a good place to work, and does Aldi drug test.
Conclusion
Aldi strives to be an inclusive employer, including for those who have a felony or misdemeanor convictions on their record.
Still, such convictions might not show up on the background checks if they are from more than seven years previous, but honesty is always the best policy for those that are more recent.
