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 Los Angeles, CA
2026 Employers, Free Reentry Help and Record Clearing
November 3, 2026
Looking for felon friendly jobs in Los Angeles? Los Angeles County had about 4.6 million nonfarm jobs in April 2026, according to California's EDD. Private education and health services is the biggest sector, with about 1.04 million jobs, followed by trade, transportation and utilities, 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 Los Angeles area
The largest employers in LA County include the County of Los Angeles, LAUSD, UCLA, the City of Los Angeles and Kaiser Permanente, with Northrop Grumman and Cedars-Sinai also in the top 10. The national employers below hire across the metro; start with our guides, then search each careers site for openings near you.
Browse all 370+ employer guides
Free job and reentry help in Los Angeles
City of LA WorkSource Centers (America's Job Center of California): 14 free job centers across the city with job training, resume help, interview practice, computer access and job matching. People in reentry are one of the groups they serve.
Homeboy Industries: An 18-month program in Boyle Heights for formerly gang-involved and formerly incarcerated people, with paid job training plus free case management, legal help, mental health care, tattoo removal and job services. Call (323) 526-1254.
Anti-Recidivism Coalition (ARC): Job training and career programs, housing, support services and a felony expungement program for people coming home from incarceration. Call 213-955-5885.
Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO) Los Angeles: Job services only for people recently home from incarceration, including job readiness help and training pathways. Referrals go to referralslosangeles@ceoworks.org.
Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles (LAFLA): Free help with expungements, Prop 47 petitions and other record clearing, plus help with Fair Chance hiring violations, through in-person and virtual clinics. Call (800) 399-4529.
Clearing your record in California
California has several ways to clear or reduce a record:
Most people can ask the court to dismiss a conviction under Penal Code 1203.4, often called expungement, using form CR-180. Since January 1, 2023, you can also ask to dismiss a state prison felony 2 years after finishing your sentence, and the judge decides. Old drug possession and theft convictions of $950 or less from before November 2014 may be reduced under Prop 47, and that filing deadline has been removed.
Some relief is automatic. Each month the California Department of Justice reviews records and marks eligible arrests (PC 851.93) and convictions (PC 1203.425) as relieved. Misdemeanors generally qualify after probation or 1 year; most felonies qualify 4 years after all supervision ends with no new felony. You won't get a notice, so request your own record from DOJ to check.
Automatic relief isn't open to people who must register as a sex offender, and serious and violent felonies are left out of the 4-year felony track. A pending case or current probation or parole blocks dismissal. Relief doesn't erase the record: peace officer jobs, public office and some school and health care jobs can still see or consider it.
For older felonies, a Certificate of Rehabilitation is another path; you usually need 5 years living in California and 7 to 10 years total after release, and it doubles as a pardon application. Free help: LAFLA at (800) 399-4529 and ARC's expungement program.
Your rights when applying in Los Angeles
California's Fair Chance Act covers employers with 5 or more employees. They can't ask about convictions until after a conditional job offer, and they can't consider convictions that were dismissed, sealed or expunged. Some jobs are exempt, such as jobs where another law requires a background check.
Inside City of LA limits, the Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring covers employers with 10 or more employees and must hold the job open at least 5 business days while you respond. LA County's Fair Chance Ordinance (in effect since September 3, 2024) covers employers with 5 or more employees for work in unincorporated areas.
Before pulling an offer, an employer must assess your situation individually and send a written notice that names the conviction and includes a copy of any report. You get at least 5 business days to respond (5 more if you dispute the report and are getting proof), and you can send evidence of rehabilitation. A final notice must tell you about your right to complain to the Civil Rights Department (CRD).
To complain, file with CRD within 3 years at ccrs.calcivilrights.ca.gov or 800-884-1684. For City of LA jobs you can also file with the Bureau of Contract Administration within 1 year (213-847-1922); for unincorporated LA County, contact the Department of Consumer & Business Affairs at 800-593-8222.
The Federal Bonding Program gives employers a free $5,000 bond covering your first 6 months on the job; ask at any America's Job Center of California. The federal Work Opportunity Tax Credit lapsed for people hired after December 31, 2025, and EDD is holding applications until Congress acts.
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 an employer in Los Angeles ask about my record on a job application?
Usually not. Under state law, employers with 5 or more employees must wait until after a conditional job offer, and covered City of LA employers must say in job ads that they'll consider qualified applicants with records.
What happens if a background check finds my record after I get an offer?
The employer must look at your situation individually. If it leans toward pulling the offer, it must send you a written notice with a copy of the report, and you get at least 5 business days to respond, plus 5 more if you dispute the report and are getting proof.
What can I send to show I've changed?
You can send proof the report is wrong, plus things like school or training records, counseling, work history, community service and proof you finished probation or parole. The employer must consider what you send.
Do I have to tell an employer about a dismissed conviction?
Most employers can't ask about or consider convictions that were dismissed, sealed or expunged. Some jobs, like law enforcement, public office and some school or health care jobs, can still look at them, so a legal aid office can tell you what applies to you.
Was my record cleared automatically?
It might be. The California Department of Justice reviews records each month and marks eligible arrests and convictions, but it doesn't send notices. You can request your own record from DOJ to check.
Where can I get free help clearing my record in LA?
The Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles offers free help and clinics at (800) 399-4529, and the Anti-Recidivism Coalition runs a felony expungement program.
Where can I get free job help in Los Angeles?
City of LA WorkSource Centers offer free job training, resume help and job matching. Homeboy Industries and CEO Los Angeles focus on people coming home from incarceration.
Where do I report a Fair Chance violation?
File with the California Civil Rights Department within 3 years. For City of LA jobs you can also file with the Bureau of Contract Administration within 1 year, and for unincorporated LA County jobs, contact the Department of Consumer & Business Affairs.
What is the Federal Bonding Program?
It gives an employer a free $5,000 bond covering your first 6 months of work, at no cost to you or the employer. Ask about it at an America's Job Center of California.
Can an employer still get a tax credit for hiring me?
The federal Work Opportunity Tax Credit lapsed for people hired after December 31, 2025, and hasn't been renewed. EDD is holding applications in case Congress brings it back.