Jobs for Felons in Michigan
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Jobs for people with a felony in Michigan
The law in Michigan
Clean Slate: automatic set-aside
Since April 11, 2023, Michigan automatically sets aside some convictions with no application: misdemeanors after 7 years and felonies after 10 years, counted from sentencing or from release from prison, whichever is later. You need no new convictions and no pending charges in that time. The automatic process covers up to 2 felonies and 4 misdemeanors punishable by 93 days or more in a lifetime.
It does not cover assaultive crimes, serious misdemeanors, crimes of dishonesty, or offenses punishable by 10 or more years, among others.
Sources, as of September 2026: MCL 780.621g; Michigan State Police: Clean Slate
Clean Slate: applying
You can also apply to the court that convicted you. A person with up to 3 felony convictions in Michigan may apply to have all their Michigan convictions set aside, with limits (for example, no more than 2 assaultive crimes in a lifetime). Michigan Legal Help has free forms: clearing a criminal record.
Source, as of September 2026: MCL 780.621
What employers can ask
Michigan employers (other than law enforcement agencies) may not ask about or keep records of a misdemeanor arrest, detention or disposition that did not end in a conviction. You are not lying by leaving that off. Felony arrests and convictions are not covered by that rule.
For state government jobs, a 2018 executive directive told state departments and agencies to take the criminal history question off applications and job postings; they can still ask and run a check later in hiring. We found no statewide ban-the-box law for private employers.
Sources, as of September 2026: MCL 37.2205a; Executive Directive 2018-4
How far back can a background check go?
Under federal law, a background check company can report a conviction no matter how old it is. Arrests that did not lead to a conviction drop off after seven years (the limits do not apply to jobs paying $75,000 a year or more). In Michigan, a conviction that has been set aside is no longer public, which is why Clean Slate matters.
Sources, as of September 2026: 15 U.S.C. 1681c (Fair Credit Reporting Act); Michigan Legal Help: setting aside a conviction
Federal rules
Federal EEOC guidance from 2012 warns employers that blanket “no felons” policies can violate civil rights law (Title VII). Since April 2025 a federal executive order has told agencies to deprioritize this kind of case, so do not count on the EEOC to investigate. The guidance is still a useful script when you talk to an employer.
Sources, as of September 2026: EEOC 2012 guidance on arrest and conviction records; Executive Order 14281 (April 2025)
This is what the law said when we checked it, September 2026. Laws change and every case is different. Confirm for your situation with a legal aid office or a lawyer. Coaching, not legal advice.
Employers verified in Michigan
The Michigan list is new and grows one verified employer at a time.
A mark is evidence, not a promise of a job. Apply the way the employer asks, and read the caveat. Know an employer in Michigan that hires people with records? Send them to get listed.
Local help in Michigan
- Michigan Works!
Offices statewide, 800-285-9675
Local offices across Michigan with free job search help and training.
- Michigan 211
Statewide, call or text 211
Free referrals for food, housing, utilities and local services.
- Michigan Legal Help: clearing a criminal record
Statewide, online
Free do-it-yourself forms to set aside convictions, and how the automatic process works.
- MDOC Reentry Services
Statewide
Department of Corrections reentry support after prison, which may include housing, programming, and job placement support.
- Detroit Project Clean Slate
Detroit
The City of Detroit's free expungement legal services for Detroit residents.
- Safe & Just Michigan
Statewide
Criminal justice policy nonprofit with a "seal your record" resource on its site.
- Nation Outside
Michigan
Led by people directly impacted by incarceration. Peer-led reentry support.
- 70x7 Life Recovery
Holland and West Michigan
Support for returning citizens, with staff who have been through it themselves.
Guides that fit
- Do I have to tell an employer about my felony?
What to say about a record that has not been cleared yet.
- How to write a resume with a felony
Build the resume before you apply.
- How to explain a gap from prison or jail
Explain the gap without lying and without oversharing.
- Warehouse resume examples
Michigan logistics and manufacturing hire fast. Be ready.
- Job search strategy that works with a record
Where to look, and how to get past the first screen.
Jobs for felons in Michigan: common questions
What is Clean Slate in Michigan?
Michigan's Clean Slate laws, passed in 2020, widened who can apply to set aside convictions and created an automatic process that started April 11, 2023. Eligible misdemeanors are set aside after 7 years and eligible felonies after 10 years, with no new convictions or pending charges, up to 2 felonies and 4 misdemeanors punishable by 93 days or more in a lifetime. Assaultive crimes and some others are excluded. As of September 2026.
Can I get a felony expunged in Michigan?
Often, yes. With up to 3 felony convictions in Michigan you may apply to the convicting court to set aside your Michigan convictions, with limits such as no more than 2 assaultive crimes (MCL 780.621). Some felonies may also be set aside automatically after 10 years. Michigan Legal Help has free forms. As of September 2026; confirm for your situation.
Does Michigan have a ban the box law?
For state government jobs, Executive Directive 2018-4 told state departments and agencies to remove the criminal history question from applications and postings; they can ask later in hiring. We found no statewide ban-the-box law for private employers. As of September 2026.
Do I have to tell a Michigan employer about an arrest?
Not a misdemeanor arrest that did not end in a conviction. Under MCL 37.2205a, employers other than law enforcement agencies may not ask about or keep records of it, and you are not lying by leaving it out. Felony arrests and convictions are different. Never lie about a conviction an employer can see.
How far back do background checks go in Michigan?
Federal law lets a background check company report convictions with no time limit; arrests without a conviction generally drop off after seven years. A conviction that has been set aside in Michigan is no longer public, so clearing it is the best way to shorten what shows up.
Where can I get free help finding a job with a record in Michigan?
Start at your local Michigan Works! office (800-285-9675), Michigan 211, and Michigan Legal Help for record clearing. Reentry groups such as Nation Outside and 70x7 Life Recovery, and MDOC Reentry Services for people coming home from prison, can help with the rest.
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