IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER
This guide provides general information about employment opportunities in the state or jurisdiction covered by this guide. While we strive for accuracy, hiring policies change frequently. Always verify current hiring practices directly with employers. Individual results vary based on offense type, time since conviction, and specific job requirements. This is not legal advice. Consult an attorney for guidance on your specific situation.
Felon Friendly Jobs in Kansas City, MO
2026 Employers, Free Reentry Help and Record Clearing
November 3, 2026
Looking for felon friendly jobs in Kansas City? The Kansas City metro had about 1.18 million nonfarm jobs in September 2026, based on preliminary federal data. Trade, transportation and utilities is the biggest sector at about 229,000 jobs, followed by education and health services, and professional and business services. Hiring decisions are made case by case, so always check the current job posting for the role and location you want. Last reviewed November 2026.
Employers hiring in the Kansas City area
Major employers in the Kansas City region include Ford, Honeywell, Oracle Cerner, Hallmark, H&R Block, Burns & McDonnell and Amazon, with Saint Luke's and Children's Mercy among the big health care employers. The national employers below hire across the metro; start with our guides, then search each careers site for openings near you.
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Free job and reentry help in Kansas City
Full Employment Council – Central City (Missouri Job Center): Kansas City's public American Job Center at 1740 The Paseo, with job search, training and education services for adults and young people. Call 816-471-2330.
Connections to Success – Kansas City: Works with the Missouri Department of Corrections to offer life-skills classes, job training, resume and mock interview help, interview clothing and mentoring.
Twelfth Street Heritage Re-Entry Prevention Program: A prison-to-workforce program on Kansas City's east side with paid daily work, job readiness training, job placement, counseling, financial coaching and mentors who have been through reentry.
Legal Aid of Western Missouri: Free civil legal help for people with low incomes in western Missouri. It doesn't take criminal cases but offers a free online expungement petition tool; call to ask what help is available. Call 816-474-6750.
Clearing your record in Missouri
Missouri calls record clearing expungement. Most people file a petition in circuit court in the county where they were charged (RSMo 610.140), and you can expunge up to 2 felonies and 3 misdemeanors or ordinance violations in your lifetime. Starting January 1, 2027, Missouri's new Clean Slate law will also seal certain drug possession and paraphernalia records automatically, with no petition.
For a petition, you must first pay your fines and finish probation or parole, then wait 3 years for a felony or 1 year for a misdemeanor, municipal offense or infraction. An arrest that didn't lead to a conviction can be filed after 18 months. Under Clean Slate, eligible drug misdemeanors are sealed 1 year after the case ends and felonies after 3 years, if there's no new offense.
Some offenses can never be expunged, including Class A felonies, offenses that require sex offender registration, felonies involving a death, felony assault, domestic assault and felony kidnapping, among others listed in the law. Marijuana records that should have been cleared under Amendment 3 may have been missed, so check with the circuit clerk where your case was heard.
Kansas City municipal court cases are expunged through circuit court too. Free help is limited here since the UMKC expungement clinic closed in 2024: use the free forms on the Missouri Courts website, Legal Aid of Western Missouri's online petition tool (816-474-6750), or the Missouri Bar Lawyer Search Service (573-636-3635).
Your rights when applying in Kansas City
Missouri has no statewide ban-the-box law for private employers. Since 2016, a governor's executive order has kept criminal history questions off initial applications for state executive-branch jobs, except where a record would legally disqualify someone.
Kansas City's ban-the-box ordinance (since June 9, 2018) covers public and private employers with 6 or more employees in city limits. They can't ask about criminal history until they find you otherwise qualified and interview you, and any decision must weigh how serious and recent the record is and whether it relates to the job.
In January 2025, the City Council added criminal history to the city's protected classes for jobs, housing and business. It clearly applies to city hiring; how far it reaches private employers is still debated.
To complain, file with Kansas City's Civil Rights & Equal Opportunity Department within 180 days, online through myKCMO or at City Hall, 414 E. 12th St., Suite 404.
Federal Bonding Program: employers can get a free bond covering your first 6 months; ask at the Full Employment Council or call 1-888-728-5627. The federal Work Opportunity Tax Credit lapsed for hires after December 31, 2025, and hadn't been renewed as of fall 2026.
Next steps
Sources
This page is for general information and is not legal advice. Employer policies and laws change; confirm details with the employer or a legal aid organization before you rely on them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a Kansas City employer ask about my record on the application?
Not if the employer is in Kansas City, Missouri, and has 6 or more workers. They must wait until they find you otherwise qualified and have interviewed you.
Do these rules apply in Kansas City, Kansas?
No. This page covers Kansas City, Missouri. Kansas City, Kansas, follows Kansas law and its own local rules.
What changed in Kansas City in 2025?
The City Council added criminal history to the city's protected classes for jobs, housing and business. It clearly covers city hiring, but how far it reaches private employers is still unclear.
Can an employer still turn me down because of my record?
In some cases, yes. The employer must consider how serious and recent the record is and whether it relates to the job, and some jobs are closed to certain records by law.
How do I report an employer who broke the rule?
File with Kansas City's Civil Rights & Equal Opportunity Department within 180 days, online through myKCMO or at City Hall. Keep copies of your application and notes on dates and names.
How long do I have to wait to expunge a record in Missouri?
After you finish your sentence and pay fines, it's 3 years for a felony or 1 year for a misdemeanor. For an arrest with no conviction, you can file after 18 months.
Will my drug record be cleared automatically?
Maybe. Starting January 1, 2027, Missouri's Clean Slate law will seal certain drug possession and paraphernalia records with no petition needed, if you have no new offense during the waiting period.
Can I expunge a Kansas City municipal court case?
Yes, if it's eligible. All expungements, including municipal cases, are filed in circuit court, not municipal court.
Where can I get free job help in Kansas City?
The Full Employment Council at 1740 The Paseo is the public job center. Call 816-471-2330 to ask about job search help and training.
Can a job center help me talk to employers about my record?
Yes. Staff can help you practice how to talk about your record and tell employers about free federal bonding. These tools can help, but they don't guarantee a job offer.