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 Philadelphia, PA
2026 Employers, Free Reentry Help and Record Clearing
November 3, 2026
Looking for felon friendly jobs in Philadelphia? Philadelphia's economy is anchored by eds and meds: most of the county's largest employers in Pennsylvania labor data are universities and hospitals, alongside government agencies, SEPTA, Comcast and American Airlines. The city also has one of the strongest fair chance hiring laws in the country. 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 Philadelphia area
Large Philadelphia employers include the University of Pennsylvania, the City of Philadelphia, the School District of Philadelphia, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Temple University and its hospital, Thomas Jefferson University, SEPTA, Comcast and American Airlines. 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 Philadelphia
PA CareerLink Philadelphia – Suburban Station: Free job search help, case management with an employment advisor, career coaching, computer access and referrals to training, operated by JEVS Human Services. Call 215-557-2592.
City of Philadelphia Office of Reentry Partnerships: Workforce development and vocational training, record clearing, expungement and pardon clinics, ID help and case management for returning citizens. Call 215-683-3370.
Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO) Philadelphia: Paid transitional work crews, career support and job placement for people recently home from incarceration.
Community Legal Services of Philadelphia (CLS): Free legal help for low-income Philadelphians, including checking eligibility for criminal record clearing and helping with the process. Call 215-981-3700.
Philadelphia Lawyers for Social Equity (PLSE): Free expungement services for low-income people with Philadelphia County cases, plus a Pardon Project. Email info@plsephilly.org.
Clearing your record in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania has sealing (called limited access), expungement and pardons:
Clean Slate automatic sealing: non-convictions, summary convictions, misdemeanors graded M2 or lower, and qualifying drug felonies are sealed automatically after 5 years for summary offenses, 7 for misdemeanors and 10 for eligible felonies, if no restitution is owed. Under Clean Slate 3.0, unpaid fines and costs no longer block sealing.
Petition-based sealing, with the same waiting periods, covers more offenses, including most M1s and some theft, fraud and forgery felonies. Not eligible: F1s, murder and offenses punishable by more than 20 years. Sealed records generally can't be used for employment unless federal law requires it.
Expungement (complete removal) is limited to non-convictions, summary offenses after 5 years, people 70 or older with no arrests in 10 years, ARD cases and certain first-time drug cases. Pardoned offenses are expunged automatically.
A pardon from the Board of Pardons is the only way to clear serious convictions; the process can take years. Free local help: Community Legal Services, 215-981-3700.
Your rights when applying in Philadelphia
Philadelphia's Fair Criminal Record Screening Standards cover private employers. They can't ask about criminal records on applications or in interviews before a conditional offer, even as an optional question, and can run a background check only after that offer.
Under amendments in effect since January 2026, employers may consider felony convictions only from the last 7 years and misdemeanors from the last 4 years (from conviction or release, whichever is later), and can't consider summary offenses, arrests without conviction, sealed or expunged records, or juvenile records.
Before taking back an offer, an employer must give written notice and a copy of the records it relied on, and allow 10 business days to respond. Complaints go to the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations, 215-686-4670.
Statewide, Pennsylvania law (18 Pa.C.S. 9125) lets employers consider convictions only to the extent they relate to your suitability for the job, and requires written notice if a hiring decision is based even partly on your record.
Federal Bonding Program: the PA Department of Labor & Industry offers free $5,000 bonds for six months (800-345-2555). It also handles the Work Opportunity Tax Credit, which lapsed for people hired after December 31, 2025.
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 Philadelphia employer ask about my record on an application?
No. Under Philadelphia's fair chance hiring law, employers can't ask about criminal history before a conditional job offer, even if they say the question is optional.
How far back can a Philadelphia employer look at my record?
Since the January 2026 amendments, employers can consider felony convictions only from the last 7 years and misdemeanors from the last 4 years, counted from conviction or release, whichever is later. Summary offenses can't be considered at all.
What happens if an employer wants to take back my job offer because of my record?
They must send you written notice with the records they relied on and give you 10 business days to respond. If your rights were violated, contact the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations at 215-686-4670.
Will my Pennsylvania record be sealed automatically?
Possibly. Under Clean Slate, eligible non-convictions, summary convictions, lower-level misdemeanors and qualifying drug felonies are sealed automatically after 5, 7 or 10 years, if you owe no restitution.
Do I have to pay off all my fines and costs to get Clean Slate sealing?
Under Clean Slate 3.0, only restitution must be fully resolved. Other unpaid court debt, such as fines and costs, doesn't block sealing.
Can employers see sealed records in Pennsylvania?
Generally no. Sealed records don't appear on most background checks and can't be used for employment, though employers required by federal law to check records can still see them.
What's the difference between sealing and expungement in Pennsylvania?
Sealing (limited access) hides a record from the public, while expungement removes it. Expungement is mostly limited to non-convictions, summary offenses after 5 years, people 70 or older, ARD cases and pardoned offenses.
How do I get a pardon in Pennsylvania?
You apply to the Board of Pardons online or by mail. You don't need a lawyer, but the process can take years. PLSE and the Office of Reentry Partnerships offer free pardon help.
Where can I get free help clearing my record in Philadelphia?
Community Legal Services (215-981-3700) and Philadelphia Lawyers for Social Equity (info@plsephilly.org) offer free help to eligible low-income residents.
Where can I get job search help in Philadelphia if I have a record?
PA CareerLink Philadelphia at Suburban Station (215-557-2592), the City's Office of Reentry Partnerships (215-683-3370) and CEO Philadelphia all offer employment support.