Key Takeaways
- Lyft may hire individuals with felony convictions, depending on the offense and its relevance to the job.
- Applicants must pass a background check that typically reviews the past seven years, though this can vary by location.
- Certain convictions, such as violent crimes, sexual offenses, DUIs, fraud, or drug-related felonies within the last seven years, automatically disqualify applicants.
- Lyft does not conduct drug tests but has a zero-tolerance policy for driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
Does Lyft Hire Felons?
Lyft may hire individuals with felony convictions depending on the nature of the offense. Lyft’s acceptance of drivers with criminal records varies, focusing on safety and compliance with their policies.
Each applicant undergoes a background check to assess eligibility, with specific crimes potentially disqualifying them from driving for Lyft.
This includes serious offenses such as sexual assault, violent crimes, DUIs, and drug-related felonies within the last seven years.
If your record check reveals any of the following, you will not be allowed to drive for Lyft:
- You are on the National Sex Offender Registry.
- You have been convicted of any sexual offense, including sexual assault or a crime involving a minor.
- You have been convicted of a violent crime (homicide, kidnapping, trafficking, burglary, arson, robbery, or more).
- You have been involved in an act of terror.
- You have a felony DUI or any conviction involving DUI in the past seven years.
- You have had a fraud conviction in the last seven years.
- You have had a drug-related felony in the past seven years.
- You were convicted of theft or property damage in the preceding seven years.
Bear in mind that your Lyft background check will continue to renew, so if your updated record check shows any disqualifying offense or conviction, Lyft reserves the right to deactivate you permanently from the platform.
What About Misdemeanors?
Lyft does not hire individuals with certain types of misdemeanors.
Lyft’s background check criteria exclude applicants with DUI or drug-related violations in the last seven years, along with convictions for violent crimes, felonies, drug-related offenses, sexual offenses, and certain theft or property damage offenses.
Therefore, Lyft’s hiring policies are strict regarding misdemeanors, especially those related to drug violations or other serious offenses, reflecting a cautious approach to ensuring passenger safety.
What Is Lyft’s Second Chance Policy?
Lyft’s Second Chance Policy, implemented in 2019, standardizes the process for evaluating and potentially deactivating drivers reported for unsafe behavior.
Previously reliant on staff judgment, the policy now mandates a safety team to follow uniform guidelines in deciding whether a driver’s offense warrants deactivation.
This approach aims to fairly determine which drivers may pose a safety risk to passengers, potentially allowing drivers to remain with the company for a longer period by ensuring consistent enforcement of safety standards.
Related: Does Uber Eats hire felons?
Does a Background Check Mean You Shouldn’t Apply for Lyft?
Having a background check is not a reason to avoid applying for Lyft. Even if you have a record, Lyft offers an opportunity for employment, recognizing the challenges felons face in securing jobs.
As an independent contractor with Lyft, you can gain both personal and financial independence.
During the application process, Lyft reviews the specifics of any convictions to assess if candidates align with the company’s standards, indicating a tailored approach rather than an outright dismissal based on past mistakes.
You know the real issue here is that Lyft doesn’t honor its policies – I’ve been a driver for 5 years, a 5 start rating not 4.98 or 4.99 but 5, have hundreds of superstar comments, given over 2,400 rides and yet was still deactivated for a PENDING charge which will be thrown out but delayed to see a judge due to COVID The policy should state “pending or convicted
I Think that lift doesn’t carefully look at certain situations regarding felonies. I had a non-violent felony involving money orders….since this day in age we deal with money electronically, how can i pose a risk to this company. My record was clean before this unfortunate incident and my record is clean since. They use the “apple in a barrel” approach. They see it like if you have “any” felony , you are look at as a criminal….period. Its sad because i served my country and this is what i get in return ????