There is one question that determines whether you get hired. Not the application. Not the background check. Not what the charge was or how long you were inside.
The question is this: why you, over the thirty other people I could hire who don't have a criminal record?
If you walk in without a ready answer, you will not get the job. The interviewer can see the pause the moment you don't have something prepared, and once they see it, the room shifts against you. What you need is an answer practiced enough to say with confidence and humility at the same time.
The answer that works is this:
Everybody deserves a second chance. Somebody is going to give me one. And they are going to get the best employee they ever had, because I am never, ever going to do something that sends me back to prison.
Say it clean. Say it without flinching. It makes no excuses, asks for no sympathy, and tells the employer the one thing they actually need to know: you have more reason to perform than anyone else in that stack.
Then live it. The light is on you from the first day. Use it. Work twice as hard as the person next to you. Show up earlier, stay later, and make that scrutiny your shining light, not a shadow. The person standing next to you does not have anyone watching them that closely. You do. That is the advantage if you decide to use it.
What the Law in Illinois Says About Your Record
Illinois has built two layers of protection for job seekers with criminal records, and together they represent some of the strongest fair chance employment law in the country.
The first layer is the Job Opportunities for Qualified Applicants Act, enacted in 2015. This is Illinois's ban the box law. It prohibits employers from asking about or considering an applicant's criminal history until after the applicant has been notified they will be considered for an interview or until after a conditional offer of employment has been extended. The box comes off the application, and your record stays out of the conversation until you have had a chance to demonstrate your qualifications.
The second layer is Senate Bill 1480, the Employee Background Fairness Act, signed by Governor Pritzker in March 2021. This law made Illinois one of the most protective states in the country for returning citizens. Under SB 1480, using a conviction record to deny employment is a civil rights violation under the Illinois Human Rights Act unless the employer can demonstrate either that there is a substantial relationship between the conviction and the specific job duties, or that employing the person creates an unreasonable risk to property or to the safety or welfare of specific individuals or the general public. Broad exclusions of people with any criminal history are unlawful. The employer must conduct an interactive assessment, weighing specific factors before any adverse decision based on a conviction.
Chicago also has its own Fair Chance Ordinance with additional requirements for employers within city limits.
What this means for you: by the time your record enters the conversation in Illinois, you have already demonstrated your qualifications in an interview or received a conditional offer. And if an employer tries to use your record to deny you, they must be able to demonstrate a real, specific connection between that conviction and this job. A general policy of not hiring people with records is not enough.
Arrest records without conviction receive the strongest protection. The Illinois Human Rights Act prohibits adverse action based solely on an arrest that did not result in conviction.
Building the Answer Before You Need It
Illinois law gives you more runway than most states. But the question still comes, and your answer still determines what happens after it.
Start with what you did with your time inside. The Illinois Department of Corrections Re-Entry Unit focuses on workforce development and employment readiness, partnering with the Illinois Department of Employment Security for job fairs and with the Safer Foundation for Know Your Rights programming inside facilities. If you completed vocational training, education, work assignments, or earned credentials, that is content, not a gap.
Then connect it to the specific job. Illinois has one of the largest and most diverse economies in the country, anchored by Chicago. Finance, healthcare, logistics, manufacturing, food processing, construction, and technology are all major sectors. Whatever you are applying for, connect your time and your experience directly to what that employer needs.
Practice the answer out loud. To another person, until the hesitation is completely gone. The pause is what loses the room even in Illinois. Eliminate it before you sit down.
Companies in Illinois That Hire People with Criminal Records
Illinois's economy, driven by the Chicago metro and anchored by manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, finance, and food production across the state, creates consistent demand across sectors.
Amazon operates major fulfillment and logistics facilities in the Chicago area and across Illinois and is a national fair chance employer. Walmart, Home Depot, Target, and major food service operators have Illinois operations and corporate second chance commitments. The Safer Foundation connects returning citizens directly with employer networks in Chicago and across the state. IMAN's Green ReEntry program places participants into construction trade jobs in Chicago. The Illinois Department of Employment Security's Re-Entry Employment Service Program has employer relationships statewide.
Industries with particularly strong demand for returning citizens in Illinois include construction, warehouse and logistics along the I-55 and I-90 corridors, food processing operations across central and southern Illinois, manufacturing in the Chicago suburbs, and hospitality and food service in the Chicago metro.
Staffing agencies across Chicago, Rockford, Peoria, Springfield, and the metro area are the most accessible first step, placing workers in manufacturing and logistics with more flexibility than direct hire.
For the full national list of companies with public fair chance commitments, see the InmateAid Fair Chance Employer Reference List.
The Tax Credit Employers Get for Hiring You
Here is the closing argument for every conversation with an employer on the fence.
There is a federal program called the Work Opportunity Tax Credit, or WOTC. When an employer hires someone from a qualifying group, including individuals recently released from prison, the employer may receive a significant federal tax credit per qualifying hire. That is not charity. It is a business incentive the federal government created specifically to make hiring returning citizens financially advantageous.
You are not asking anyone to take a risk on you. You are telling them your hire comes with a tax benefit attached that none of the other thirty applicants can offer. Say it at the end of the interview, after you have made your case: I qualify for the Work Opportunity Tax Credit. Hiring me may put money back in your business. And I will give you the best work you have ever gotten from a new hire, because I have too much to lose to give you anything less.
The Illinois Department of Employment Security coordinates WOTC certification and the Federal Bonding Program through its Re-Entry Employment Service Program and statewide IDES offices.
Where to Get Help in Illinois
The Illinois Department of Employment Security Re-Entry Employment Service Program (RESP) is the primary statewide resource, serving individuals who are currently or have previously been involved in the criminal justice system and who face employment barriers because of a record. IDES offices are located statewide. The RESP provides job readiness tools, job search assistance, and access to WOTC and Federal Bonding. Find your nearest IDES office through ides.illinois.gov. Phone: 800-244-5631.
Safer Foundation (571 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, 312-922-2200) is one of the largest and most established reentry workforce organizations in the country, providing workforce development, education, and financial coaching for returning citizens in Chicago and across Illinois. The Safer Foundation also delivers Know Your Rights programming inside IDOC facilities.
Illinois Reentry Support Centers in Chicago served more than 2,200 clients with navigation services and nearly 1,000 with workforce programming in the first nine months of 2024 alone. Contact through the Illinois Reentry Council at illinoisreentrycouncil.org.
IMAN Green ReEntry (2744 W 63rd St, Chicago, 773-434-4626) provides stipended construction trades training in carpentry, HVAC, and electrical, targeted to formerly incarcerated individuals on Chicago's south side, with transitional housing, cognitive behavioral interventions, and case management.
Jane Addams Resource Corporation (4432 N Ravenswood Ave, Chicago, 773-728-9769) offers free job training in welding, mechanical assembly, manufacturing, and CNC operation.
Chicagoland Prison Outreach Ministries (900 E 162nd St, 708-331-3301) provides free vocational training in welding or carpentry with no background restrictions, along with case management and job placement.
The Illinois Reentry Council (illinoisreentrycouncil.org) coordinates more than 200 member organizations statewide working on reentry policy, programs, and services.
Illinois Legal Aid Online (illinoislegalaid.org) provides legal information and referrals for returning citizens, including record expungement and sealing.
Frequently asked questions
Can employers in Illinois ask about my criminal record?
Under Illinois's ban the box law (Job Opportunities for Qualified Applicants Act), employers cannot ask about or consider criminal history until after notifying the applicant they will be considered for an interview or after a conditional offer. Under SB 1480 (2021), using a conviction record to deny employment is a civil rights violation under the Illinois Human Rights Act unless the employer can show a substantial relationship between the conviction and the job, or an unreasonable safety risk. Employers must conduct an interactive assessment. Arrest records without conviction cannot be used as the sole basis for adverse action.
What is the Illinois Employee Background Fairness Act?
It is Senate Bill 1480, signed in March 2021, which amended the Illinois Human Rights Act to make using a conviction record in employment decisions a civil rights violation unless the employer demonstrates either a substantial relationship between the conviction and the specific job duties, or that employing the person creates an unreasonable risk to property or safety. The employer must conduct an interactive assessment weighing specific factors before any adverse decision. Violations expose employers to damages and penalties under the IHRA. This law layers on top of Illinois's existing ban the box law, which already delayed criminal history inquiries until after an interview or conditional offer.
What jobs can I not get with a felony in Illinois?
Specific licensed fields with statutory background check requirements retain those requirements. Healthcare positions with direct patient care, childcare, education, and law enforcement have specific bars for certain conviction types. For most private employment, the Employee Background Fairness Act means an employer must demonstrate a specific, documented connection between your conviction and this job before using it to deny you. A blanket policy of rejecting all applicants with a record is a civil rights violation in Illinois. Research specific licensing board requirements for any credentialed profession.
How do I explain my record in a job interview?
In Illinois the question comes after you have already demonstrated your qualifications, which gives you the strongest starting position of any state in this series so far. Do not pause. Come in with the answer ready: everybody deserves a second chance, somebody is going to give you one, and they are going to get the best employee they ever had because you are never going back. Connect your time inside to what this employer needs specifically. Then close by mentioning that your hire qualifies for the Work Opportunity Tax Credit. End strong.
What is the Work Opportunity Tax Credit?
The Work Opportunity Tax Credit, or WOTC, is a federal tax credit available to employers who hire workers from qualifying groups, including people recently released from prison. The credit can be significant per qualifying hire based on wages and hours worked in the first year. It is administered through the IRS and the Department of Labor. Illinois's IDES coordinates the certification through its Re-Entry Employment Service Program. It is a real financial incentive, and you should mention it at the end of every interview.
Do employers get a tax credit for hiring ex-felons?
Yes. Under the Work Opportunity Tax Credit, employers who hire qualifying returning citizens may receive a meaningful federal tax credit. Bring this up at the end of your interview as a closing argument. Your hire comes with a tax benefit the other applicants cannot offer. Ask your IDES Re-Entry Employment Service Program counselor for documentation you can share with a prospective employer so they can apply for the credit.
What Illinois programs help people with records find work?
Illinois IDES Re-Entry Employment Service Program (RESP) operates statewide through IDES offices; WOTC and Federal Bonding coordination; 800-244-5631. Safer Foundation in Chicago provides workforce development, education, and financial coaching. Illinois Reentry Support Centers served 2,200+ navigation clients and 900+ workforce clients in the first nine months of 2024. IMAN Green ReEntry provides stipended construction trades training. Jane Addams Resource Corporation offers free manufacturing and welding training. Chicagoland Prison Outreach Ministries provides free trades training with no background restrictions. The Illinois Reentry Council coordinates 200+ statewide member organizations.
Can I get a license with a felony in Illinois?
It depends on the license and the offense. Illinois has made some licensing reforms but specific boards in healthcare, childcare, education, and financial services retain conviction history review authority. For many trades and professions, Illinois's Employee Background Fairness Act's substantial relationship standard applies, meaning a conviction must directly relate to the licensed profession before it can be used to deny licensure. Research the specific licensing board before investing in training. Illinois Legal Aid Online can provide guidance on licensing barriers and expungement options.
What companies in Illinois hire people with felonies?
Amazon, Walmart, Home Depot, Target, and major food service operators have Illinois operations and fair chance commitments. Construction, warehouse and logistics, food processing, manufacturing, and hospitality are the most active fair chance hiring sectors in Illinois. The Safer Foundation, IDES RESP, and IMAN Green ReEntry connect returning citizens directly with employer networks. Staffing agencies across Chicago and downstate Illinois are the most accessible first step. For the full national list, see the InmateAid Fair Chance Employer Reference List.
How do I get hired if I have a long gap in my work history?
Name what you did inside and present it as work with context. IDOC vocational programs, work assignments, education, and any credentials earned are all content. Illinois law means you get into the interview before your record is visible, which gives you the chance to establish your qualifications first. IMAN Green ReEntry and Jane Addams Resource Corporation provide immediate pathways to paid training that builds a new work record quickly. Staffing agencies are the fastest path back into regular employment. Build ninety days of solid performance anywhere and that recent record becomes what employers see instead of the gap. ---
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