Does Safeway Hire Felons?

Safeway is a grocery store chain with locations throughout the United States. They are a company that values quality food and supporting local communities and a healthy planet by how they run their business.

It can be challenging for felons to find stable work after serving time. Although some employers may feel nervous about hiring a person with a criminal history, these fears are often not realistic. More often than not, people with a felony records are eager to have a fresh start and make excellent employees. 

About Safeway

Safeway is an American grocery store chain. They carry a variety of fresh and frozen foods, as well as produce items, that one would typically find in a grocery store. Some locations also have pharmacies located in them as well.

Safeway was founded in 1915 in American Falls, Idaho. They were founded by M.B. Skaggs when he bought a small grocery store that was previously owned by his father. From there, he opened 428 more store locations under the original name, Skaggs, and eventually bought another chain of grocery stores called 322 Safeway. It was at this time that M.B. Skaggs named and created Safeway as it is known today.

As of 2019, there are 894 Safeway locations in the United States. Safeway stores are in 18 different states, with the largest number of stores being in California, Washington, and Arizona. Safeway is headquartered in California, in the city of Pleasanton.

For employees of Safeway grocery stores, their benefits will vary based on the location. Based on our research of their company website, benefits may include prescription drug coverage, vison coverage, dental and orthodontal coverage, an Employee Assistance Program, paid time off for vacations, paid sick leave, paid holidays, leisure-time activities discounts, and company-paid retirement plans. Part-time employees are also eligible to receive benefits. Since benefits vary by location, it is best to ask about them at the specific store you are applying to.

Employees of Safeway often mention supportive and understanding management as a main reason they love working there. They also mention good pay and a flexible work schedule as reasons they are satisfied at Safeway. Although benefits do vary based on location, many Safeway employees also mention great benefits as another positive for them.

Does Safeway Hire Felons?

Safeway is a large chain with many locations, so hiring qualifications may vary based on the store. With that being said, we have found in our research that Safeway does hire felons.

Hiring policies may change at any time and may vary based on the Safeway location. It is best to be honest during your interview and upfront in asking if a felony will disqualify you from a position.

Does Safeway run background checks?

Based on our research, it seems that Safeway does run background checks on employees. The background check will look into any convictions a potential employee may have on their record. This will occur before a potential employee begins work at the company.

Since Safeway has many locations throughout the United States, how far back the background check goes could depend on that location’s hiring policy. Some of our sources state that the background check can go back as far as 7 years.

Careers At Safeway

Safeway is a company that values quality and creating a positive work environment for their employees. With a variety of positions available at their retail locations, there is a good chance that you may find a position here that interests you. Below are 5 common jobs at Safeway.

Deli Clerk: responsibilities include slicing deli meats and cheeses for customers, frying and baking chicken and other foods, preparing sandwiches and other food items, assisting customers in making food selections, stocking cases, cleaning and sanitizing food areas, and other related tasks.

Bakery Sales Clerk: responsibilities include wrapping and pricing bakery goods, placing bakery goods in display areas, operating an automatic bread slicer, recording bakery inventory, taking special bakery orders for customers, and other related tasks.

Courtesy Clerk: responsibilities include, bagging groceries for customers, providing carryout services, checking prices for customers, gathering shopping carts from the parking lot, cleaning spills, keeping customer restrooms clean, and other tasks related to providing guests with excellent customer service.

Night Crew Clerk: responsibilities include ordering and stocking products, creating and maintaining shopping displays, organizing the back storage room, taking special orders from customers, assisting customers as needed, and other related tasks.

Grocery Clerk: responsibilities include ordering product, stocking and rotating product, creating and maintaining shopping displays, organizing back storage room, assisting customers in locating products, and other related tasks.

Application Process At Safeway

If you are interested in working at Safeway you can search available jobs online at https://www.albertsonscompanies.com/careers/safeway-careers.html (Albertsons Companies is the owner of Safeway brand) and clicking on “Check us out” to search for jobs. Jobs located in their grocery stores will be under the “Retail” category. From there, you can search available positions at different locations and complete an online application.

If the hiring manager feels you may be a good fit for the position, you will most likely be asked to come in for an interview. For the interview, make sure to dress professionally and arrive 10 to 15 minutes before your scheduled time.

Answer questions to the best of your ability and don’t be afraid to ask questions of your own. Many employers are happy to answer your relevant questions, as this shows them you are interested in learning about their company.

If asked about past challenges you have faced in the workplace, speak from a positive perspective. Highlighting how you were challenged and able to overcome a problem shows strong problem-solving and a can-do attitude.

If the subject of a background check does come up, it is best to be honest with your interviewer so there are no surprises when the background check comes back. Speak about the nature of the offence while focusing on how you have grown from your mistakes. Your past crimes do not define you and a good employer will see that as well.