Will a company still hire me after I tell them I have a criminal conviction from when I was a kid?
I said no on the application, because I thought it was sealed. I was 16, 10 years ago, and was a passenger in a stolen car I didn't know was stolen. I have now turned in the paperwork to have it legally expunged, and am e-mailing my recruiter to let her know, because I start in 2 weeks and the papers will not be through by then. Will I still be hired? or at the least, will I be able to apply again?
Everyone told me not to say anything until they found it, but that would seem like I was covering it up.
Answers:
You can relax. Juvenile adjudications are NOT convictions. So, if the question was, "Have you ever been convicted of a felony?" you truthfully answered "No" because that's the law. Juvenile law violations are handled in civil court and are called "adjudications", while adult matters are handled in criminal and are called "convictions." If you were 16, you were adjudicated, not convicted. It's really that simple.
Also, juvenile matters are typically "sealed" rather than being expunged... although I would bet each state handles that a bit differently.
keep your mouth closed...your asking to lose your job if you bring it up now.
I would keep your mouth shut. If you are ever asked about it, say you answered the question truthfully based on the best information you had at the time - that's all anyone can expect from you. Unless the job is being a cop or something in the legal field, I seriously doubt that anyone would care that you were a passenger in a car you didn't know was stolen. The stuff I worry about when I hire someone is embezzlement, drug or alcohol problems, theft - things that tell me they could injure someone on the job or are likely to steal from me or lose their professional license. You should be fine.
It is best to be honest. Many employers will check your record. many employment applications directly asked if you were ever arrested or if you have a criminal record. Lying or failure to answer properly is a cause for dismissal from a job.
Hopefully it will be legally expunged and thereby forgotten.
I would keep a copy of the expunging paperwork handy and show it IF you felt that it was necessary.
Good luck.
My husband went through a similar experience. He wasn't sure whether or not to put it on his application or whether even to tell his potential employer, but in the end he decided to be completely upfront and honest with them. They hired him and thanked him for his honesty. It's better to tell them now, because if they do a background check and it shows up, if you haven't told them, they'll end up wondering what else is in your past that you didn't mention. Let them know that you've learned from your mistakes, haven't committed any more crimes, and that you're now a law-abiding citizen. Don't make excuses for your past, but just tell them what happened without laying the blame on anyone. They will appreciate you being upfront with them more than if you lie and they find out.
Stick with your "NO" answer for now.
Stuff to do with minors is "sealed" in a lot of States....Government type jobs would discover it anyway more than likely.
IF you were ever charged with a felony then it might appear.
Contact an Attorney specializing in "Criminal Law" and explain your situation and find out your options.
I think that would be your best bet for now.
Some employers would totally understand, especially at that age....some would not...Maybe you would not want to work for someone who would not want to listen to you if you tried to explain yourself to them and if they could not understand that it was a long time ago...but everyone is different...there are times when a superior would give you kudos for telling the truth and some times when they would look totally down their nose at you....do what you think is best...be honest or listen to the lawyer..good luck with the new job!
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