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SOLAR Resource Guide

Employment Directory for People on Sex Offender Registries

Job boards, workforce offices, training paths, apprenticeships, employer lead sources, and verification steps for people with sex offense convictions, registry requirements, or both.

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This directory is a supplement to SOLAR’s Employment Strategies guide. Use this page to find job leads, training leads, workforce offices, apprenticeships, employer lead sources, and local programs that may help people with records move toward work.

These links are starting points, not approvals. Use them to find leads, then verify the exact role, location, background-check policy, and supervision or registry rules before you rely on the lead. Policies can vary by employer, franchise, contractor, platform, and state.

There are useful places to look. The goal is to spend your limited time on stronger leads, ask clearer questions, and connect with people who may know which employers have actually worked with registry-impacted job seekers.

Where to look first this week

Start with places designed for people with records, workforce support, or skills-based hiring.

Do first

Then do next

  • 1
    Search Apprenticeship.gov for paid earn-while-you-learn paths in trades, manufacturing, transportation, and other fields.
  • 2
    Ask local reentry organizations which employers have recently hired people with sex offense convictions or registry requirements, not only people with records generally.
  • 3
    Keep a simple log of every lead: employer, role, location, contact person, background-check stage, restriction question, and next step.

Remember

A lead is a starting point. A written answer is stronger than a guess.

Search lane 1

Where to search

Use fair-chance job boards, workforce offices, reentry directories, and local partner maps.

Search lane 2

What to consider

Look for realistic fields such as trades, warehouse, food service, facilities, manufacturing, and paid training.

Search lane 3

What to verify

Check the exact role, location, duties, background-check process, and any registry or supervision rules.

Use every lead with registry awareness

Fair-chance hiring can help, but sex offense and registry issues often require a more specific check.

A fair-chance employer may be open to people with many kinds of criminal records while still placing limits on certain convictions, public registry status, job duties, work locations, insurance requirements, or licensed roles.

The practical move is simple: use the lead, then verify before relying on it. Ask about the exact job, not just the company name.

Verify each lead before you rely on it

Who to ask

Your supervising officer if you are on supervision; the registering agency for registry-specific questions; the hiring contact or HR office for employer-policy questions; the licensing board for credentialed fields; and an attorney or legal aid office for legal-risk questions.

What to ask

“Does this exact role, location, schedule, travel requirement, internet use, background-check policy, customer contact, and contact-with-minors risk fit my restrictions?”

What to save

The posting, employer name, role, address, date, person who answered, exact question asked, answer given, and any written confirmation.

Ask the narrower question

“Do you hire people with felonies?” is often too broad. A better question is whether they will consider someone with your type of conviction or registry requirement for this exact role and location.

High-value lead sources

These resources can help you find openings, workforce offices, reentry programs, training providers, and local organizations that know the employment landscape.

CareerOneStop Justice-Impacted Job Seekers

Official
Career exploration, job search, training, and application guidance for people with criminal records.

American Job Center Finder

Official
Find local workforce offices that may offer resume help, job referrals, computer access, training funding, and workshops.

CareerOneStop Reentry Program Finder

Official
Search for local reentry programs that help people overcome employment and other barriers.

Honest Jobs

Fair chance
A fair-chance job board for people with criminal records. Use it as a lead source and check the exact role and location.

SCBC Community Partners Map

Local partners
Find organizations connected to second-chance hiring ecosystems in many local job markets.

National H.I.R.E. Network Clearinghouse

Directory
State-specific government and community-based resources for people with criminal records.

Jails to Jobs

Nonprofit
Practical job-search information for people coming home from jail or prison.

DOL Reentry Employment Opportunities

Official
Federal reentry employment program information and links to workforce resources.

Simple search plan

What kinds of work to consider

Look for roles where the duties, location, schedule, and screening process can be checked clearly.

After you know where to search, narrow the field. Stronger leads often have clear worksites, adult coworkers, visible duties, and a hiring process where a real person can answer questions. Useful search terms include second chance hiring, fair chance employer, background friendly, justice involved, reentry employment, warehouse no experience, apprentice helper, maintenance trainee, and paid training.

Different people will have different restrictions. Use these categories to focus your search, then check the exact role and location.

Retail, grocery, and big-box

Stocking, overnight freight, cart attendant, receiving, warehouse, maintenance, backroom.

Why it works

These employers often have many entry points, structured hiring systems, and roles that may not require one-on-one unsupervised contact.

Typical steps

  1. 1Search Walmart, Target, Home Depot, Lowe's, and Kroger.
  2. 2Look closely at whether the role involves delivery, pharmacy areas, youth events, or restricted locations.
  3. 3Ask whether the decision is made by corporate HR, a local manager, a franchise, or a background-check vendor.

Best fit

People seeking structured entry-level work, stocking, receiving, facilities, maintenance, or operations roles.

Warehouse, logistics, and distribution

Picking, packing, forklift, dock work, inventory, shipping, receiving, package handling.

Why it works

These jobs may value punctuality, physical stamina, safety, and consistency. Some roles are less public-facing than retail.

Typical steps

  1. 1Search Amazon Jobs, UPS Jobs, FedEx Careers, local warehouses, and staffing agencies.
  2. 2Check driving, delivery, airport, school-zone, overnight, and travel issues before accepting.
  3. 3Ask staffing agencies which warehouse clients use case-by-case background review.

Best fit

People who can work physical shifts and need a skills-first entry point with advancement potential.

Food service, hospitality, and facilities

Kitchen, prep, dish, housekeeping, laundry, janitorial, maintenance, banquet setup.

Why it works

Back-of-house roles can be practical starting points and may offer fast hiring, clear duties, and chances to build local references.

Typical steps

  1. 1Search McDonald's Careers, Aramark, Compass Group, Sodexo, Marriott, and Hilton.
  2. 2Check whether the job involves schools, youth-serving sites, guest-room access, or events with minors.
  3. 3Ask whether the job is corporate, franchise, contractor, or facility-specific.

Best fit

People who can work fast-paced shifts and want a local reference-building job.

Trades, maintenance, and local contractors

Helper roles, repair, landscaping, waste services, facilities, painting, cleaning, hauling.

Why it works

Skills can matter more than resume polish. Local contractors may make decisions directly and may care most about reliability and safe work.

Typical steps

  1. 1Search WM Careers, local trade helpers, maintenance teams, landscaping companies, and small contractors.
  2. 2Verify private-home access, school sites, youth facilities, tools, driving, licensing, and insurance rules.
  3. 3Ask whether a short work trial, reference, or bonding information would help the employer evaluate you fairly.

Best fit

People with hands-on skills, physical stamina, training certificates, or a willingness to start as a helper.

Use second-chance employer lists as lead sources

The Second Chance Business Coalition and similar initiatives can point you toward employers and local organizations thinking about second-chance hiring. Use those lists to decide where to ask better questions.

Training, apprenticeships, and credentials

Paid training and short credentials can open doors, but placement rules still matter.

Training can be one of the most hopeful paths because it gives you proof of current effort, a newer reference, and a skill an employer can understand. The best options are usually practical, short-to-medium length, and connected to real employers.

Before spending money, ask whether the credential, license, worksite, internship, clinical placement, apprenticeship sponsor, or job placement path fits your situation.

Training and apprenticeship resources

Apprenticeship.gov

Official
Search Registered Apprenticeships and learn how earn-while-you-learn programs work.

Apprenticeship.gov — Barriers to Employment

Official
Information for career seekers with employment barriers, including justice-involved people.

American Job Centers

Training help
Ask about WIOA-funded training, occupational certificates, job clubs, computer access, and local employer partnerships.

DOL Reentry Employment Opportunities

Official
Federal links for justice-involved job seekers, employers, and reentry workforce programs.

Professional Licensing Guide

SOLAR
Use SOLAR's licensing guide before investing in a credential that may require background review.

Common practical paths include OSHA-10/30, forklift, welding, HVAC, electrical helper, plumbing helper, maintenance, CDL, food-handler credentials, culinary programs, manufacturing, logistics, bookkeeping, customer support, and basic IT support. Check licensing, driving, insurance, internet, and worksite rules before paying for a program.

Ask about placement before enrolling

A school may accept you into training even if a later internship, apprenticeship sponsor, clinical site, licensing board, or employer partner creates a barrier. Ask direct questions before you pay: “Have you placed people with sex offense convictions or registry requirements in this field before?”

Better leads and higher-friction leads

Some opportunities are easier to evaluate than others.

Better signs

  • The employer says it uses case-by-case review.
  • The job has a clear adult worksite.
  • The duties are visible and easy to explain.
  • The role does not involve schools, child care, youth programs, private homes, or unsupervised access to minors.
  • A local reentry organization has placed people there before.
  • The employer has HR staff who can explain the background-check process.
  • The job offers training, certifications, advancement, or a stable schedule.

Higher-friction signs

  • The job involves minors, schools, child care, youth sports, camps, parks, or recreation programs.
  • The role requires entering private homes or hotel rooms alone.
  • The platform uses automated background screening with no clear human review.
  • The role requires rideshare, passenger driving, in-home delivery, or vulnerable-person access.
  • The job requires internet use that may conflict with supervision rules.
  • The credential has moral-character, licensing, or insurance barriers.
  • The employer cannot tell you who makes the background-check decision.

Rideshare and passenger-driving platforms are often high-friction for people on sex offender registries. Lyft publicly states that a person may be ineligible to drive if listed on the National Sex Offender Registry, and Uber publicly says drivers with reported sexual assault convictions are permanently banned. Check current platform rules before spending time or money on this path.

Directory mistakes to avoid

Treating “felony friendly” as the same as registry-aware.

Why it matters: Many programs and employers are open to some records but use separate rules for sex offense convictions, public registry status, or certain job duties.
Better move: Ask whether they have worked with people with sex offense convictions or registry requirements specifically.

Applying to every large employer without checking the role.

Why it matters: One company may have warehouse roles, delivery roles, school-site contracts, and different local decision-makers.
Better move: Check the exact location, duties, background-check stage, and decision-maker.

Paying for training before checking placement barriers.

Why it matters: A training provider may accept payment even if a later internship, license, or employer placement creates a barrier.
Better move: Ask written questions about placement, licensing, background checks, and registry-specific barriers before enrolling.

Assuming remote work is automatically easier.

Why it matters: Remote work can involve internet monitoring, customer data, minors, platform rules, background checks, or supervision restrictions.
Better move: Verify internet use, device rules, customer contact, platform policies, and data-access limits.

Giving up after a few dead ends.

Why it matters: Some leads will not work. That does not mean all work is closed off.
Better move: Track results, adjust your target list, ask local reentry staff for recent employer leads, and keep building proof of reliability.

Employer reassurance tools

Some employers need help understanding support, bonding, and current hiring resources.

Some hiring managers are nervous about people with records and do not know what tools exist. If the conversation is respectful and the role appears workable, a short mention of employer support programs can help.

Employer-facing tools

Federal Bonding Program

Hiring support
No-cost fidelity bonding that may reduce perceived hiring risk for some employers considering job seekers with barriers.

DOL WOTC page

Check status
Official Department of Labor page for the Work Opportunity Tax Credit. Verify current status before mentioning it.

IRS WOTC page

Check status
Official IRS page explaining WOTC eligibility, timing, and current authorization language.

SCBC employer resources

Employer tools
Employer-facing second-chance hiring resources that may help a company understand case-by-case hiring practices.

Jails to Jobs

Practical
Job-search and employer-education resources for people coming home from incarceration.

Work Opportunity Tax Credit context

Some employer-facing resources mention the Work Opportunity Tax Credit. As of this guide’s review, DOL and IRS pages describe WOTC as authorized through December 31, 2025. Do not rely on WOTC as a current hiring incentive unless an employer, workforce office, tax professional, or official source confirms that it applies to the job and hiring date.

Simple way to mention bonding

“I understand employers sometimes have concerns when hiring people with records. There is a Federal Bonding Program that may provide a no-cost fidelity bond for eligible workers. I can send you the official information if that would help.”

How to find local leads that are actually useful

Local knowledge often beats national lists.

National lists can get you started, but the strongest leads often come from local people who know which employers have recently hired registry-impacted workers. A workforce counselor, reentry case manager, faith-based job club, public defender reentry staff, treatment provider, or trusted mentor may know which employers are worth your limited time.

Local lead plan

For family and supporters

A helpful supporter can research employers, print applications, drive to appointments, practice interviews, organize a job log, or call programs to ask what services they offer. Try not to take over the job search. The person applying still needs ownership, preparation, and accurate information.

If internet access, privacy, or transportation is limited

A directory should still work for phone-only, paper-based, supervised, or recently released readers.

Lower-internet ways to use this guide

These steps can help if you have no printer, limited internet, supervision restrictions, unreliable transportation, or no private computer.
  • Call an American Job Center and ask for help finding local reentry employment services, job fairs, and training programs.
  • Ask for mailed or printed information if you cannot easily use a website.
  • Keep a paper job lead log with employer name, role, location, phone number, date, restriction question, and result.
  • Ask a trusted person to print job postings, bus directions, application confirmations, and program contacts.
  • Use a public library, workforce center, or reentry office for computer access only if your supervision and internet rules allow it.
  • If you are incarcerated or preparing for release, ask family or a reentry worker to print nearby American Job Centers, reentry programs, apprenticeships, and training providers.

Check technology rules first

If you have internet restrictions, monitoring rules, device restrictions, or limits on social media or job platforms, verify what job-search technology is allowed before using public computers, apps, job boards, or remote-work platforms.

Lead-vetting checklist

Use this before applying, interviewing, accepting, or paying for training.

Check the lead

The goal is not to find a perfect employer. The goal is to find a lawful, realistic next step that can become proof of stability.

Use this with the Employment Strategies guide

This directory helps you find leads. For resume structure, disclosure scripts, interview preparation, documentation packets, and first-90-days job planning, use SOLAR’s Employment Strategies for People on Sex Offender Registries.

Resources, related guides, and sources

Keep going with practical next steps and source links.

Core employment resources

CareerOneStop Justice-Impacted Job Seekers

Official
Career, training, and job-search tools for people with criminal records.

American Job Center Finder

Official
Find local workforce offices for resume help, training referrals, job search support, and workshops.

CareerOneStop Reentry Program Finder

Official
Find local reentry programs that may offer job search, housing, and other support.

Apprenticeship.gov

Official
Search registered apprenticeships and learn about paid earn-while-you-learn paths.

Honest Jobs

Fair chance
Fair-chance job board for people with criminal records.

Federal Bonding Program

Hiring support
No-cost fidelity bonding information for eligible workers and employers.

FTC background-check rights

Official
Federal guidance on applicant rights when employers use background reporting companies.

EEOC arrest and conviction record resources

Official
Employment-rights resources about arrest and conviction records.

Related SOLAR resources

Employment Strategies for People on Sex Offender Registries

SOLAR
Use this companion guide for resumes, disclosure scripts, interviews, documentation, and first-90-days planning.

Professional Licensing & Certification Paths

SOLAR
Use this before paying for a credential, trade program, CDL path, or licensed field.

Small Business & Entrepreneurship Guide

SOLAR
Use this if traditional hiring is blocked and self-employment may be a realistic path.

Know Your Rights Guide

SOLAR
Use this for broader rights, documentation, background-check, and safe communication guidance.

Housing Search Guide

SOLAR
Employment and housing often affect each other. Use this for restriction-aware housing planning.

Reentry Checklist

SOLAR
Use this to coordinate employment with IDs, housing, health care, supervision, and registration tasks.

Mental Health & Support Directory

SOLAR
Use this if the job search is affecting anxiety, shame, depression, or family stress.

Legal and employment note

This directory is a lead-finding tool, not legal advice or employer approval. A listing here does not mean a job is available, lawful for your situation, or open to every conviction or registry status. Before applying, accepting work, or paying for training, verify the exact role, location, background-check process, employer policy, and any supervision, court, registry, or local restrictions that apply to you.

Sources and verification

These links support the directory's core lead sources, training paths, background-check rights, and high-friction platform cautions. Local registry, supervision, employer, and licensing rules still need case-specific verification.