Fred Meyer: Hiring, Background Check & Employment Verification FAQs

Fred Meyer, Inc. was founded in 1922 by Fred G. Meyer in Portland, Oregon, where the company remains based. The first store opened at the corner of Southwest Fifth Avenue and Yamhill in downtown Portland and brought together separate shops under one roof, including meat, produce, cheese, and other merchandise. Meyer's aim was to give customers more reasons to shop in one place than anywhere else, and the chain became one of the first in the country to promote one-stop shopping.

The format expanded steadily over the following decades. The first suburban one-stop shopping center opened in 1931 in Portland's Hollywood District, pairing a grocery store with a drugstore, home products, off-street parking, and a gas station. By March 1968 the company operated 48 retail stores across Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Montana, and it entered Alaska in 1975. Today a Fred Meyer store typically combines a complete supermarket with a drugstore, bank, clothing, jewelry, home decor, home improvement, garden, electronics, restaurant, shoes, sporting goods, and toy departments.

Ownership has changed more than once. Kohlberg Kravis Roberts acquired the company in 1981 in one of that firm's early large leveraged buyouts, and by May 1988 the chain had 99 stores in six states. In 1998 Kroger of Cincinnati, Ohio, acquired Fred Meyer, and the stores kept the Fred Meyer name. Fred Meyer has operated as a Kroger subsidiary ever since. The chain operates in the northwestern United States, with locations in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Alaska, and published figures put the store count at 132 as of 2024.

Company culture and employee programs:

A Fred Meyer superstore employs a wide mix of hourly and salaried roles under one roof. Common positions include cashiers and front-end clerks, grocery and general merchandise stockers, produce, meat, seafood, deli, and bakery clerks, pharmacy technicians and pharmacists, jewelry and apparel associates, home improvement and garden staff, e-commerce pickup and delivery pickers, fuel center attendants, and department and store leadership. Many hourly positions in the chain are covered by collective bargaining agreements, which affect pay scales, scheduling, and benefit eligibility. Specific pay, hours, and benefits vary by store, department, and applicable agreement, so candidates should confirm details during the hiring process.

Yes. Employers in the grocery and retail industry, including Fred Meyer, are legally permitted to conduct pre-employment background checks on job candidates, provided they follow applicable federal, state, and local laws. In the United States, employment background screening is governed by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), which sets requirements for disclosure, written candidate authorization, and the adverse action process. Oregon, Washington, and several local jurisdictions in the region also have fair-chance rules that shape when criminal history may be considered.

Fred Meyer is generally reported to conduct background checks as part of its hiring process, consistent with standard practice across large grocery and retail employers. Retailers commonly screen because employees handle cash and payment cards, work with age-restricted products such as alcohol, tobacco, and firearms where sold, and in pharmacy settings handle controlled substances and protected health information. The scope of a Fred Meyer background check may vary by role, by department, and by state, and pharmacy and leadership positions are frequently screened more thoroughly than entry-level store roles.

The Fred Meyer hiring process typically begins with an online application through the Kroger family careers system for a specific store and department. Applicants who move forward are usually contacted for a phone screen or an in-store interview with a department or store leader, and some candidates complete a short assessment. Interviews commonly focus on availability, customer service, teamwork, and reliability. Candidates who receive a conditional offer are generally asked to consent to pre-employment screening, and onboarding, orientation, and department training follow once those steps clear.

Turnaround depends on the searches ordered, how quickly the relevant courts and agencies respond, and how many jurisdictions a candidate's history covers. Many reports return within a few business days, while criminal record searches spanning several counties or states, or verifications that rely on a prior employer or licensing board responding, can take longer. Retail hiring often moves quickly, so a screening delay can push back a scheduled orientation. Candidates who want to understand what typically drives these timelines can review background check turnaround times.

The specific components of a background check are determined by the employer. For a grocery and general merchandise retailer, a report may include some or all of the following:

Candidates should read the disclosure and consent documents provided during hiring to see which searches apply to their role.

The lookback window depends on the search type and on state law. Under the FCRA, consumer reporting agencies are generally limited from reporting most adverse information older than seven years, with exceptions for certain record types and for positions above a salary threshold. Washington and Oregon both have statutes affecting how and when employers may inquire into criminal history, and several other states impose stricter reporting limits than the federal baseline. Because Fred Meyer operates in four states, the applicable rules can differ between two stores in the same chain.

Fred Meyer does not publish a detailed public policy on applicants with felony records, and decisions of this kind are typically made on a case-by-case basis. Employers commonly weigh the nature and severity of the offense, how much time has passed, evidence of rehabilitation, and how the record relates to the duties of the role, including whether it involves cash handling, pharmacy access, or age-restricted products. Many states and cities, including jurisdictions in the Pacific Northwest, have adopted "ban-the-box" laws that limit when criminal history questions may be asked during an application. Candidates are encouraged to be accurate on their application and prepared to discuss their background if it comes up.

Candidates are typically asked to sign a written disclosure and authorization form before any screening begins. Expect to provide accurate personal information, including full legal name, date of birth, Social Security number, and address history, along with identification and documents establishing work authorization. Pharmacy applicants should be ready to supply license or registration numbers, and applicants for roles involving driving may be asked for a driver's license number. Accurate details help ensure searches run in the correct jurisdictions and reduce the risk of a delay before orientation.

The Fair Credit Reporting Act is a United States federal law that governs how consumer reporting agencies collect, use, and share background check information for employment purposes. Under the FCRA, an employer must obtain written consent before running a background check, must provide a copy of the report and a summary of rights if it intends to take adverse action based on the results, and must allow the candidate an opportunity to dispute inaccurate information before a final decision is made. For a detailed overview of how the FCRA and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) guidelines apply to background checks, visit Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA).

Running a personal background check with Checkr lets you preview what Fred Meyer may see and help you identify potential inaccuracies before they affect your job application. In one secure report you can review:

Create your report in minutes at Checkr Personal Background Checks. To showcase verified credentials proactively, build a free Checkr Profile you can share with recruiters, hiring managers, or potential employers.

Check your report status in the Candidate Portal. Or, visit the Checkr Help Center for FAQs, dispute steps, and to contact support.

The resources and information provided here are for educational and informational purposes only and do not constitute legal advice. Always consult your own counsel for up-to-date legal advice and guidance related to your practices, needs, and compliance with applicable laws.