Target does hire people with felony convictions. The company removed the criminal history question from its job applications more than a decade ago and reviews each applicant’s record individually instead of applying a blanket ban.1Target Corporation. Target Statement on Legal Settlement About the Use of Criminal Background Checks in Hiring Decisions With roughly 2,000 stores and more than 400,000 employees across the country, it is one of the largest retailers publicly committed to fair-chance hiring.2Target Corporation. About Target Corporation A felony doesn’t disappear from the process, though. It surfaces during a background check after a conditional offer, and certain convictions, particularly recent theft and violent crimes, can still cost you the job.
How Target Treats a Criminal Record
Target stopped asking about criminal history on its initial application years before many jurisdictions required it. Criminal background information is gathered only in the final stages of hiring, after qualifications have been reviewed and interviews conducted.1Target Corporation. Target Statement on Legal Settlement About the Use of Criminal Background Checks in Hiring Decisions The company applies this “ban the box” approach nationwide, regardless of whether local law requires it.
When a background check reveals a conviction, Target uses an individualized assessment. Rather than reject anyone with a record automatically, the hiring team weighs three factors drawn from federal equal employment guidance: the seriousness of the offense, how much time has passed since the conviction or completion of the sentence, and how the offense relates to the specific job.3U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Enforcement Guidance on the Consideration of Arrest and Conviction Records in Employment Decisions Applicants get a chance to explain the circumstances, present evidence of rehabilitation, and provide context that a bare record doesn’t show.1Target Corporation. Target Statement on Legal Settlement About the Use of Criminal Background Checks in Hiring Decisions The same policy applies across store team member, distribution center, and corporate roles.4Target Careers. Careers FAQs
When the Background Check Happens
Every Target job offer is conditional. The background check doesn’t run until after you’ve been offered a position and accepted. From there, Target’s third-party vendor, Accurate Background, handles the screening.4Target Careers. Careers FAQs Before the check begins, federal law requires Target to give you a standalone written disclosure that a background report will be obtained, and you must authorize it in writing.5Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 15 USC 1681b – Permissible Purposes of Consumer Reports You’ll typically need to provide your full legal name, previous addresses, and Social Security number.
The screening covers county and federal criminal records for both felony and misdemeanor convictions. It also includes a check of the national sex offender registry and Social Security number verification. Turnaround varies. Some applicants hear back within a day or two; others wait a week or more, especially if they’ve lived in several jurisdictions or a county court is slow to respond.
How Far Back the Check Reaches
A lot of applicants get tripped up here. Under federal law, there is no time limit on reporting criminal convictions. A background check can surface a felony from 10, 20, or even 30 years ago.6Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 15 USC 1681c – Requirements Relating to Information Contained in Consumer Reports The seven-year restriction you may have heard about applies to other adverse items like civil judgments and arrests that never led to a conviction. Convictions are explicitly carved out.
Some states cap how far back a screening company can report convictions, often at seven years. If you live in one of those states, the state limit works in your favor. Absent that, assume the conviction will show up.
Which Felonies Are Most Likely to Disqualify You
Not all felonies carry the same weight. The key question is whether the offense has a direct connection to the job. Some convictions create an obvious conflict with retail work.
- Theft and financial crimes. Store employees handle merchandise, run registers, and process returns. A felony conviction for larceny, robbery, embezzlement, or financial fraud raises an immediate concern because the daily duties involve exactly the kind of access that made the original offense possible.
- Violent offenses. Stores are open to the public, with hundreds of customers and coworkers on a typical shift. Felonies involving assault, weapons, or other violence raise safety concerns.
- Drug distribution. Felony-level distribution charges tend to weigh heavier than simple possession, which is often viewed more leniently, especially when the case is old.
A recent conviction in any of these categories is the hardest to overcome. A 15-year-old theft conviction followed by a clean record tells a different story than a two-year-old one, and the individualized assessment is designed to recognize the difference. If your conviction is unrelated to the job, such as a DUI when you’re applying for a cashier position, the connection is weaker and your odds improve.
Sealed or Expunged Records
If a court has expunged or sealed your conviction, you can legally answer “no” when asked about criminal history. Several states have enacted “clean slate” laws that seal certain records automatically after a waiting period. Employers generally cannot penalize you for records you’re no longer required to disclose, and if a background check inadvertently returns an expunged record, the employer usually can’t use it against you. If you think you may qualify, checking with your state’s court system before you apply can save trouble later.
What Happens If the Report Costs You the Offer
Federal law gives you real protections if Target decides to rescind based on what the check turns up. The process has two required steps.
The Pre-Adverse Action Notice
Before Target can finalize a decision to pull your offer, the company must send a pre-adverse action notice. This includes a complete copy of the background report that Accurate Background generated and a written summary of your rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act.5Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 15 USC 1681b – Permissible Purposes of Consumer Reports The point is to let you see the report before any final decision is made.
Your Window to Dispute Errors
After the pre-adverse notice arrives, you get a reasonable period to review and respond. The FCRA requires only a “reasonable” waiting period; the common industry practice is roughly five business days. Read every line. Background reports contain errors more often than most people expect: convictions belonging to someone with a similar name, dismissed charges reported as convictions, or records from a jurisdiction you’ve never lived in.
If something is wrong, file a dispute directly with Accurate Background. The screening company then has 30 days to investigate and either correct or verify the information. Target cannot finalize the adverse action while a dispute is pending. If the report comes back corrected, the basis for rejecting you may disappear. This is not a formality. Dispute inaccuracies immediately.
The Final Adverse Action Notice
If the dispute period passes and Target still decides to rescind, the company must send a final adverse action notice. It tells you the decision is final and reminds you of your right to get another free copy of the report and to keep disputing inaccurate information with the screening company.7Federal Trade Commission. What Employment Background Screening Companies Need to Know About the Fair Credit Reporting Act The notice must also make clear that Accurate Background did not make the hiring decision and can’t explain why you were turned down; that responsibility lies with Target.
Drug Testing
Target requires drug screening for certain positions, though not every store-level role. If your job requires a test, you’ll be told at the time of the offer and must complete the screening within 24 hours of accepting. Missing that window can result in the offer being withdrawn.4Target Careers. Careers FAQs What’s tested and how marijuana is handled depend on state law. A growing number of states prohibit employers from penalizing applicants for lawful off-duty marijuana use, though safety-sensitive positions and roles subject to federal regulations are typically exempt.
Steps to Take Before You Apply
The individualized assessment means your application isn’t dead on arrival because of a felony, but the way you approach it matters.
- Know your own record. Pull your own background report before applying so nothing catches you off guard. If there are errors, dispute them before a potential employer ever sees them.
- Prepare your explanation. Be straightforward about what happened and focus on what has changed since. Completed programs, stable employment, community involvement, and time without reoffending all carry weight under the EEOC’s framework.3U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Enforcement Guidance on the Consideration of Arrest and Conviction Records in Employment Decisions
- Target the right roles. If your conviction involved theft, a position that doesn’t require handling cash or inventory reduces the direct connection between the offense and the job. Distribution center roles and stocking positions can present a weaker nexus than register work.
- Check whether you qualify for expungement. If your state offers sealing or expungement and you’re eligible, completing the process before applying removes the conviction from the check entirely.
Target’s fair-chance hiring is real, but it isn’t unconditional. The strongest thing you can bring is an honest account of your past, evidence you’ve moved on, and a record that doesn’t directly conflict with the work you’d be doing.