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 Oklahoma Says About Your Record
Oklahoma's ban the box law covers public employers only. Executive Order 2016-03, signed by Governor Mary Fallin in 2016, directed state agencies to remove conviction questions from initial employment applications. The legislature codified this requirement through HB 2932 (2020), now at Title 74 §840-1.15. State agencies may ask about criminal history during an interview or conduct a background check -- but not on the initial application. Tulsa enacted its own ban the box ordinance (Ordinance 23960, 2016) for city hiring. Oklahoma City adopted a fair chance policy for municipal jobs (Resolution 8803, 2018). Norman adopted a similar administrative policy (G-3, 2017).
Private employers statewide face no state timing restriction. A private company can ask about criminal history on the initial application without any state-mandated review process. EEOC guidance applies to all employers and advises assessing criminal records in relation to the specific job and circumstances rather than applying blanket exclusions.
Federal FCRA protections apply statewide. For positions with expected salary under $75,000, non-conviction records older than seven years cannot appear on consumer reporting agency background checks.
Oklahoma made significant progress in record relief beginning November 1, 2025. Through HB 3316, Oklahoma began automatically clearing certain non-conviction arrest records and certain misdemeanor case records. When a record is eligible for automatic clearing, the prosecutor is notified and has an opportunity to object. Petition-based expungement remains available for cases not yet automatically processed. This automatic clearing provision is significant: an estimated 94% of Oklahomans who are eligible for expungement had not exercised that right under the prior petition-only system. Automatic clearing removes the barrier of navigating the process.
Building the Answer Before You Need It
In Oklahoma, your answer in the interview is what carries you with private employers. The law offers no application-stage protection there. So you have to walk in ready.
Oklahoma Department of Corrections (ODOC) Work Release Program is one of the more productive pre-release employment systems in this series. ODOC Community Corrections partners with employers statewide to place incarcerated individuals in paid work before release. Over the past five years, ODOC facilitated job placements for more than 3,000 individuals. Data from fall 2024 shows average work release savings of $3,675 per participant, with about 10 percent saving more than $10,000. One participant saved more than $33,000. Participants leave with savings, work history, employer references, and a track record that employers can verify.
ODOC also hosts job fairs in partnership with the Central Oklahoma Workforce Innovation Board (COWIB), bringing incarcerated individuals nearing their release dates directly in front of employers from dozens of industries for one-on-one conversations and on-site interviews.
Start with what you did inside. Work release employment is real employment -- it goes on the resume with the employer's name, the dates, and the job duties. Any ODOC vocational program, educational credential, or work assignment is also content. Then connect it to what this employer specifically needs.
Oklahoma's economy runs on energy (oil and gas), aerospace and defense, healthcare, agriculture, manufacturing, and a growing technology sector. Oklahoma City and Tulsa are the primary labor markets. The energy sector in central and western Oklahoma creates persistent demand in production, transportation, and support operations. Whatever you are applying for, make the answer specific to what that employer needs.
Practice it out loud. Until the hesitation is completely gone. The pause is what loses the room. Eliminate it before you sit down.
Companies in Oklahoma That Hire People with Criminal Records
Oklahoma's economy, anchored by Oklahoma City and Tulsa with significant energy activity in the mid-continent region, creates consistent demand across sectors.
Amazon, Walmart, Home Depot, and major food service operators have Oklahoma operations and national fair chance commitments. Healthcare systems including OU Health, Integris Health, Saint Francis Health System, and Ascension St. John hire in support and entry-level roles. Aerospace and defense contractors at Tinker Air Force Base and Vance Air Force Base hire in maintenance, logistics, and support roles. Energy companies across the mid-continent oil patch hire in production, transportation, and facility operations. Construction contractors statewide face persistent labor shortages. Action Group Staffing has a dedicated reintegration program for returning citizens in Oklahoma City.
ODOC Work Release employer partners provide direct post-release employment pathways for individuals who complete the program. ODOC COWIB job fairs connect returning citizens with employers before release.
Oklahoma Works American Job Centers statewide provide employer connections and WOTC documentation.
Staffing agencies across Oklahoma City and Tulsa are the most accessible first step, placing workers in logistics, energy support, and healthcare support 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.
Oklahoma Works American Job Centers, operated through the Oklahoma Office of Workforce Development, coordinate WOTC certification and Federal Bonding access for employers statewide.
Where to Get Help in Oklahoma
Oklahoma Works American Job Centers, operated through the Oklahoma Office of Workforce Development, provide job search assistance, career counseling, training referrals, WOTC coordination, and Federal Bonding access statewide. Find your nearest center at oklahoma.gov/okworks.
Oklahoma Department of Corrections (ODOC) Reentry Services develops reentry plans for individuals nearing release, focused on employment, housing, education, substance abuse treatment, and aftercare. ODOC Work Release connects participants with employer partners before release. ODOC also maintains a Reentry Resource Registration for organizations that want to connect with returning citizens. Contact through oklahoma.gov/doc.
ODOC COWIB Job Fairs, held in partnership with the Central Oklahoma Workforce Innovation Board, bring employers from dozens of industries to meet incarcerated individuals nearing release for one-on-one interviews.
Action Group Staffing (actiongroupstaffing.com) has a dedicated reintegration program placing returning citizens in employment in the Oklahoma City area.
Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma (legalaidok.org) provides free legal assistance for eligible low-income Oklahomans, including expungement petition guidance.
Oklahoma Justice Reform (okjusticereform.org) provides expungement information, advocacy, and connections to record-clearing assistance statewide.
The Federal Bonding Program, coordinated through Oklahoma Works, provides free fidelity bonding to employers who hire returning citizens.
Frequently asked questions
Can employers in Oklahoma ask about my criminal record?
Public state employers cannot include criminal conviction questions on initial job applications under Executive Order 2016-03 and HB 2932 (2020). Public employers may ask during the interview stage. Tulsa, Oklahoma City, and Norman have local fair chance policies for their municipal hiring. Private employers statewide face no state timing restriction and can ask on the initial application. EEOC guidance applies to all employers. Federal FCRA protections apply to all third-party background checks, including the 7-year limit on non-conviction records for positions under $75,000.
Does Oklahoma have ban the box for private employers?
No. Oklahoma's ban the box requirement covers state agencies and select municipalities only. Private employers have no statewide timing restriction. Your answer in the interview and a successful record expungement are the most impactful tools available to you with private employers. Oklahoma's automatic record clearing (beginning November 1, 2025 under HB 3316) is clearing many eligible records without a petition -- check whether your record may have been automatically cleared.
What jobs can I not get with a felony in Oklahoma?
Specific licensed fields including healthcare with direct patient care, childcare, education, law enforcement, and some financial services have statutory background check requirements. Research the specific licensing board before investing in training. For most private sector energy, aerospace support, healthcare support, and construction employment, the decision rests with the individual employer. Expungement can remove many employment barriers for qualifying conviction types.
How do I explain my record in a job interview?
Do not pause. Come in with the answer ready: 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 you are never going back. Private employers in Oklahoma have no timing restriction, so your answer may be needed at any point. If you completed ODOC Work Release, name the employer, the job, and what you did. If you have vocational training or any program completion inside, connect it directly to what this employer needs. 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. Oklahoma Works American Job Centers coordinate certification for employers statewide. 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 Oklahoma Works counselor for documentation you can share with a prospective employer so they can apply for the credit.
What Oklahoma programs help people with records find work?
Oklahoma Works American Job Centers statewide offer job search help, training referrals, WOTC coordination, and Federal Bonding access. ODOC Work Release places incarcerated individuals with employer partners before release; over 3,000 placements in the past five years. ODOC COWIB Job Fairs bring employers to meet candidates near release for on-site interviews. Action Group Staffing has a dedicated reintegration program in Oklahoma City. Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma (legalaidok.org) provides free expungement assistance. Oklahoma Justice Reform (okjusticereform.org) provides record-clearing information.
Can I get my record expunged in Oklahoma?
Oklahoma significantly expanded record relief in recent years. Starting November 1, 2025 (HB 3316), Oklahoma began automatically clearing certain non-conviction arrest records and certain misdemeanor case records -- prosecutors are notified and may object, but eligible records clear without a petition. Petition-based expungement is also available for qualifying convictions including non-violent felonies reclassified as misdemeanors (eligible 30 days after sentence), diversion and deferral completions, and other qualifying cases. An estimated 94% of eligible Oklahomans had not pursued expungement under the prior petition-only system; automatic clearing is designed to reach those people. Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma (legalaidok.org) and Oklahoma Justice Reform (okjusticereform.org) provide guidance and assistance.
What companies in Oklahoma hire people with felonies?
Amazon, Walmart, Home Depot, and major food service operators have OK operations and fair chance commitments. OU Health, Integris Health, Saint Francis Health System, and Ascension St. John hire in healthcare support. Aerospace and defense contractors at Tinker AFB and Vance AFB hire in logistics and maintenance. Energy companies across the mid-continent hire in production and transportation. Construction contractors statewide face labor shortages. ODOC Work Release employer partners hire returning citizens directly. Action Group Staffing has a dedicated reintegration program. Oklahoma Works Job Centers provide second-chance employer connections. Staffing agencies in OKC and Tulsa 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?
ODOC Work Release is the most powerful gap-filler in Oklahoma: if you participated, you have real employment -- name the employer, the job title, and the dates. Other ODOC vocational training, educational programs, and work assignments inside are all content. Oklahoma's automatic record clearing (HB 3316, effective November 1, 2025) may have already cleared your arrest or misdemeanor record -- check with Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma or Oklahoma Justice Reform. Oklahoma Works American Job Centers provide post-release employment placement. Staffing agencies in Oklahoma City and Tulsa 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. ---