Phillip believes every company should have a clear statement whether they hire people with criminal history or not. He was the best candidate for five to six jobs, but they rescinded the offers solely because of his criminal record. With the help of Honest Jobs, he found stable employment where he makes $24.65/hour and receives full benefits. Hear Phillip tell his story:
Read the full interview with Phillip here:
What experience do you have with the criminal justice system?
Phillip: “I do have a felony from 2019, for bank robbery. So I had a job, the halfway house set it up. When I got out of prison, I was sent to the halfway house and they actually set up a job for me working at an oil change company. But I really was not making much money, I didn't have benefits and so forth. So I've really been searching since I got home.”
What was your job searching experience before you found Honest Jobs?
Phillip: “I was sending applications online and through temp agencies. I actually got five or six offers, but once it came down to the background check, the offers were taken away. But then also to a lot of them, I just didn't even apply because I knew that I didn't have a chance.”
Tell us about your new job!
Phillip: “It's through Pepsi in Hayward, California. I am a warehouse associate. They start you off at $24.65 an hour. You do get full benefits from day one of employment. So you get medical, dental, and you have like a health savings account. You have 401k, you have stock options. So you have the complete benefit package. And you get a ton of overtime.”
Would you recommend Honest Jobs to other formerly-incarcerated job seekers?
Phillip: “Definitely, definitely do. Because everything is laid out for you. So you know when you apply for a position that Honest Jobs has already verified that they do hire felons. So you're not just wasting your time. Because there were other jobs that I applied to where I've heard that they hire felons, but when you get down to it, you're stuck.”
Do you have any message for employers?
Phillip: “Every company should just have a simple statement - we do hire felons or we don’t. So that way you won't waste their time, doing the hiring process, getting down to it, and then you're not going to hire them. This way you won’t waste the job seekers time by going through all the challenges to apply, take the drug test, do the background check, and all that if they don't have a chance. Or just say “we hire felons with these crimes, but we don't look at these crimes”. It should just be a clear policy.”