Ask HN: Would You Hire a Convicted Felon to Work for your Startup?

Startup companies are known for having progressive, forward-thinking, free-wheeling office cultures. The rejection of societal norms to “hack” or “disrupt” the world is a common attribute among the startup community. But how does this disruptive mindset fare when faced with the sticky issue of hiring someone with a felony conviction?

I’m co-founder of a startup called Comeback, (www.comebackasap.com). We’re the first to offer custodial insurance--an insurance policy that covers an arrestee’s expenses in the event they get taken into custody, (i.e. jail/prison).

Comeback’s business model relies on keeping our policyholders out of jail, whereby reducing the likelihood they’ll ever file a claim. Given that 90% of people currently in prison were unemployed at the time of their arrest, the key is to offer career training and job placement.

As such, we’re partnering with a variety of mid to large-sized companies to offer entry-level employment opportunities to our clients. With moderate success thus far, we’d like to expand our biz-dev efforts to include startups.

Startups encourage their employees to break social conventions and shatter societal norms. Is an aversion to hiring felons a norm that startups choose not to “disrupt”?

So let’s say you have an applicant that has a felony conviction, (nothing violent or sexual in nature), has spent time in prison, yet has the qualifications necessary for an entry-level position with your company. Would you hire her?

Much has been made on HN about the importance, (or lack thereof) of hiring someone that’s a good “cultural fit”. Is there an underlying fear that hiring a felon inherently disrupts a startup’s culture?