Jobs and Our difficult child's

mom_to_3

Active Member
I was just wondering, just how are our difficult child's supposed to get a job to be self sufficient when they have been in legal trouble? While I am not happy with ANY breaking of the law, as far as I am aware, my difficult child doesn't have major crimes to her name.

I think she had some traffic fines that she did not pay and was picked up, taken to jail and had to "sit out her time" instead of paying her fines because she had no money. I've never been in any kind of trouble or had any legal experience so I don't know if this is something that has to be reported on a job application.

I do know that she wrote a hot check to Walmart and they prosecuted. I would think that is some kind of misdemeanor. She did have to go before a judge, was fined more money, had attorney fee's, paid court costs and who knows what else. She managed to get someone else to pay her way out of that. I would think this needs to be listed on an application.

How does one find out what one's criminal history is and what needs to be reported on an application? She has no money to pay for a background check and we won't pay for one either. But, I know almost all business runs a criminal background check. I don't blame them!

How can our difficult child get a job with her history? I know many difficult child's (with a bad history) are working, how did they get past the criminal background check? Any help would be appreciated!
 
I am not 100% positive, but those all sound to me like misdemeanors.

I believe that employers are asking about felonies, and more specifically, felonies which one has been convicted of.

I know that I spent a night in jail when I was 18 for stealing. (oh, I was a rebellious Kitty, I was) It was a misdemeanor charge, and it has never shown up on anything.
 

skeeter

New Member
in many counties (ours included) the clerk of courts website lists any convictions or legal judgements (excluding traffic tickets) on line - you just need to do a search by name.
 

WhymeMom?

No real answers to life..
Usually job applications only ask about felonies. Most states have a public website where you can search for names of felons. My son has several felonies, and the job search is not easy, but usually he can always get a job at a fast food place. He doesn't apply if the job says they will be doing a background check....not all jobs state that. Most places will have a sign up if they do not hire felons.....

I don't think your daughter sounds like she has any felonies. I would not think it would be a problem for an employer. Technically she doesn't need to list any misdemeanors on her application. She hasn't crossed the line yet, but tell her she is lucky, because once you get the felony label its a whole different ball game....

Check on your state's website, usually they will have an area for criminal justice system and you can search for felons....
 

Suz

(the future) MRS. GERE
I agree. Rob has had several jobs with employers who would check his criminal history. He has a slew of misdemeanors but no felonies so he hasn't been refused work for that reason.

Suz
 

judi

Active Member
We were able to go the county courthouse and get the info that the perspective employers would be able to get. It read no convictions. My son actually has been in trouble (pretty minor, no drugs, no DUIs) but got court supervision which meant that he didn't have a record if he kept his nose clean. No that his car doesn't work, he has no job and rarely leaves the house, hey no trouble!
 

ctmom05

Member
Some employers do a background search that they must pay for. It's their way of assessing various risk factors associated with a prospective employee There is probably other information that is a matter of public record and available for free; differing from county to county and state to state.

Committing a crime, even the minor ones, can affect someone's life well after the fact and unexpectedly, too. Sometimes it means that you might not be given the chance to prove yourself.
 

SunnyFlorida

Active Member
Good idea to check the clerk of your county. My county lists everything. I mean everything. All misdemeanors, all felonies, even the charge difficult child 2 just got for an undersized fish :hammer:

by the way, the Clerk of Court site is public knowledge. Employers don't have to pay a dime.
 
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