Are there employers in Western NC that hire people with a criminal record?

Yes. Several Asheville-area employers and programs actively hire people with records, including Deep Time Coffee (9-month paid coffee roasting training for returning citizens), the Asheville Chamber's Inclusive Hiring Partners network, and employer partners connected through Goodwill Justice Navigation, NCWorks Federal Bonding program, and Sunrise Community for Recovery. Lighthouse's /jobs directory lists 16 second-chance employers.

What workforce programs help men with a record find jobs in Asheville?

Goodwill Workforce Development Center provides Justice Navigation specifically for men coming out of the justice system. NCWorks offers a Federal Bonding program that insures at-risk hires. Sunrise Community for Recovery and Wellness maintains a list of recovery-friendly employers. Pisgah Legal Services provides free expungement help. Call 2-1-1 for personalized guidance.

Can I get my record cleared or sealed in North Carolina?

Yes. Pisgah Legal Services provides free legal help with expungement (clearing or sealing old charges) and Certificate of Relief at 62 Charlotte St, Asheville. Call 1-800-489-6144 or 828-253-0406. Demand is high, so call about wait times. The Buncombe County Justice Resource Center also has Pisgah Legal on site at 60 Court Plaza.

Do I have to tell employers about my criminal record?

It depends on the employer and the job. North Carolina does not have a statewide ban-the-box law for private employers, so many applications will ask about criminal history. The key is to focus on employers that openly hire people with records, like the second-chance employers listed in Lighthouse's /jobs directory. These employers have already decided to consider candidates with backgrounds.

What if I don't have a car? Can I still get to work or job training?

INspire Recovery to Career provides rides to interviews and NCWorks, plus bus passes. Buncombe County's Mountain Mobility bus system offers monthly passes. Some workforce programs include transportation assistance. Call 2-1-1 and ask about transportation resources in your county.

Can I get workforce help if I'm on probation or parole?

Yes. The Buncombe County Justice Resource Center at 60 Court Plaza provides reentry navigation, employer referrals, and connections to treatment and education. Walk ins welcome. Goodwill's Justice Navigation and INspire Recovery to Career also serve men on supervision.

Second-Chance Employers in Western NC: Where to Apply After Incarceration or Treatment

A criminal record does not have to stop you from finding steady work in Western North Carolina. Real employers hire people with records, real programs remove barriers, and real resources exist to help you get back to work with a clean start.

Quick Answer

Second-chance employers in Western NC include Deep Time Coffee (paid coffee roasting training for returning citizens), the Asheville Chamber Inclusive Hiring Partners network, and employers connected through Goodwill Justice Navigation, NCWorks Federal Bonding program, and Sunrise Community for Recovery. Legal help for expungement is available through Pisgah Legal Services. Start with Lighthouse’s /jobs directory at lighthouse.house/jobs or call 2-1-1.

Why second-chance employers matter

For a man with a record or in recovery, the hardest step is often the first one: finding an employer who will look past what happened and see what you can do now.

Second-chance employers have made that decision in advance. They understand that a record or a gap in employment does not define your ability to work, show up, and contribute.

The employers and programs below are verified from the Lighthouse /jobs directory, which is updated regularly. Some organizations moved after Hurricane Helene, so call before you go.

Employers that hire

Deep Time Coffee, Sojourner Program

What it is: A 9-month paid coffee roasting training program for returning citizens. You are paid while you train. Mentorship is included. The program is designed to turn incarceration into a career.

How to apply: Website at deeptimeavl.org.

Asheville Chamber Inclusive Hiring Partners (IHP)

What it is: A network of Asheville-area employers committed to hiring second-chance candidates and removing barriers to employment. Participants receive access to informational interviews.

Who qualifies: People in re-entry and recovery, young adults (16-24), veterans, people with disabilities, survivors of domestic violence.

How to start: Fill out the interest form at ashevillechamber.org.

Sunrise Community for Recovery and Wellness

What they do: Sunrise maintains a fuller list of recovery-friendly employers in the Asheville area. They also run Peer University, which turns recovery experience into a paid career as a Certified Peer Support Specialist.

Contact: 209 Tunnel Rd, Asheville. (828) 552-3858. Walk ins welcome Mon-Fri 8-6.

Reentry workforce programs

Goodwill Workforce Development Center

Services: Career navigator, Justice Navigation (built specifically for men coming out of the justice system), driver’s license restoration referrals, skills classes, training scholarships, GED with A-B Tech, work clothes available.

Contact: 1616 Patton Ave, Asheville. (828) 298-9023. Mon-Fri 8-5. Walk ins welcome.

NCWorks Career Center

Services: Job search and resume help, free computers and printing, WIOA training scholarships, Federal Bonding program (insures at-risk hires for employers), reentry track.

Contact: 53 Asheland Ave, Suite 105, Asheville. (828) 920-6670. Mon-Fri 8:30-5.

INspire Recovery to Career

Services: Peer support, rides to interviews, bus passes, work clothes and supplies, help with sober living entry costs.

Contact: 339 New Leicester Hwy, Suite 140, Asheville. (828) 251-6622. Contact Brandon Manson via Mountain Area Works. Serves men released from treatment within 30 days or prison within 6 months from Buncombe and nearby WNC counties.

Buncombe County Justice Resource Center and Reentry Council

Services: Reentry navigation and case management, expungement help (Pisgah Legal on site), employer referrals, education and treatment linkage.

Contact: 60 Court Plaza, 14th Floor, Asheville. (828) 250-6401. Mon-Fri 8-5. Walk ins welcome.

NC Employment Independence for Persons with Disabilities (EIPD)

What it is: State program that helps adults with disabilities that interfere with work (which may include substance use disorder) access training, job placement, and steady work.

Key fact: No statewide waitlist. Criminal records do not disqualify you.

Contact: 1-877-832-3832 (toll-free). Also at 8 Barbetta Dr, Asheville.

Legal help to remove barriers

Pisgah Legal Services

What they do: Free legal help with the two biggest legal walls between you and a job: expungement (clearing or sealing old charges) and driver’s license restoration.

Contact: 62 Charlotte St, Asheville. 1-800-489-6144 or (828) 253-0406. Also walk in at the Justice Resource Center (60 Court Plaza). Demand is high, so call about wait times.

Federal Bonding Program (through NCWorks)

This program covers the risk for employers who hire at-risk candidates. If an employer is hesitant to hire you because of a criminal record, the Federal Bonding program can insure them against theft or dishonesty for the first six months of employment. Ask NCWorks at (828) 920-6670.

Lighthouse /jobs directory

Lighthouse Foundation maintains a directory of 33 workforce organizations and 16 second-chance employers across Western NC. It is the single most comprehensive list of its kind for the region.

Visit: lighthouse.house/jobs. Updated June 9, 2026.

How to approach a second-chance employer

Know your record: If you are not sure what is on your background, get a copy before you apply. Pisgah Legal can help you understand what can be expunged.
Focus on employers that already hire: The employers listed above and in the /jobs directory have already decided to consider candidates with records. You are not asking them to take a chance. You are applying where they expect you.
Be honest: If an application asks about criminal history, do not lie. Second-chance employers want honesty. If a charge has been expunged, you do not need to disclose it.
Use the right pathway: If your record is the main barrier, go through Goodwill Justice Navigation or the Asheville Chamber IHP. If transportation is the barrier, go through INspire. If your disability is the barrier, go through EIPD. Pick the program that matches your situation.

Bottom line

There are jobs in Western North Carolina for men with a record. The employers and programs exist. They are verified and ready to help. If you are a man in recovery or reentry, start with Lighthouse’s /jobs directory, then pick one program and make the call.

Email [email protected] or call (828) 222-3666 if you need help figuring out which path fits.

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