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I have never been arrested in my life, only have a few minor traffic violations, and have never so much as stepped foot inside a courtroom. When prospective employers use 3rd party vendors to generate pre-employment background checks, is it a common occurrence for the background reports to generate completley false information on applicants? Such as confusing you with another individual, coming up with false criminal information, etc? Does this happen often?
Anyone have insight into this, or ever had problems with these background checks? Thanks.
Personally, No. I also have an unusual name, so not many people to be confused with. You mentioned pre-employment background check, which made me think you were trying to make money here, but then I read futher and I am thinking you are curious about the "mess" that would be caused if you were confused with a criminal or you were actually confused witha criminal.
If you are just speculating...I would worry about other things. If you were turned down for a job, because an actual background check showed you to have criminal or misdeamenor or bad credit activity, then you will have to write to all of the credit companies and complain and they will remove it, but you will have to keep on them. Then you will have to contact state law enforcement, to confirm that there is no one using your identity, etc... Everything requires work to remove false information. However, it is also possible that the employer hired a cheap or unprofessional security company and they just printed up whomever popped under the same name.
In the latter case, if this is Truly a problem, I would get a current credit report from all three agencies and an official state criminal background check and pay for it yourself and carry it around with you to any job interviews. Make copies and give it to them.
Oh... you got no problems... I have a felony I don't deserve. Causes me to lose potential employment and it's very hard for me to get a good APT in Houston because they discriminate against me for my felony. I also had to lie at Schlumberger that I had no felony after I was hired by a phone interview and I drove 1100 miles to start work there.
Oh... you got no problems... I have a felony I don't deserve. Causes me to lose potential employment and it's very hard for me to get a good APT in Houston because they discriminate against me for my felony. I also had to lie at Schlumberger that I had no felony after I was hired by a phone interview and I drove 1100 miles to start work there.
Interesting, I have an arrest but was not convicted, I plead no contest years ago to misdemeanor charges. I have always wondered if the criminal background checks that employers do, show things up from over 10 years ago.
The place you mention didn't run a background check and find out you were not truthful??
I had a great job one time where they asked only if I had been convicted of a crime, I answered truthfully that I had not. Months later when they ran the background check and found the no contest plea, they fired me.
You appear to be sanguine about your experience. I am probably not telling you anything you don't know, but you need to head down to the court house or by mail, start filling out those ole expungemnt forms...And yes, anyone with a computer and a little research ability can find your arrest record, even 10 years ago, unless it has been destroyed. but court records go back 30 plus years, either in computer form or paper form. So I advise to take care of it.
I have never been arrested in my life, only have a few minor traffic violations, and have never so much as stepped foot inside a courtroom. When prospective employers use 3rd party vendors to generate pre-employment background checks, is it a common occurrence for the background reports to generate completley false information on applicants? Such as confusing you with another individual, coming up with false criminal information, etc? Does this happen often?
Anyone have insight into this, or ever had problems with these background checks? Thanks.
I used to work quality control for a background screening company; which entails preventing things such as false criminal records showing up on someone's report. Without going into specifics; spotting a misplaced criminal record is very easy if you are trained to do so. It is does happen, and it can slip through. However, it is rare.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lindsey_Mcfarren
Interesting, I have an arrest but was not convicted, I plead no contest years ago to misdemeanor charges. I have always wondered if the criminal background checks that employers do, show things up from over 10 years ago.
The place you mention didn't run a background check and find out you were not truthful??
I had a great job one time where they asked only if I had been convicted of a crime, I answered truthfully that I had not. Months later when they ran the background check and found the no contest plea, they fired me.
Generally, they stop at 7 years. In fact, in some states it is illegal to go back more than that (for employment purposes). Of course, depending on the company and location, they can go as far back as they want, and do with the info what they want.
As far as lying about your no contest plea; that is possibly what caused your termination. I mean as far as you not answering honestly. Some employers let that stuff slide depending on the charge if you are honest about it. Some will fire you for the discrepancy between what you said and what the report said; yet others would have fired you regardless.
EDIT: For clarification; the employer theoretically can go back as far as they want; it is acting on the info beyond 7 years that is illegal.
Regarding Jesse " have a felony I don't deserve" Well, that is a whole different kettle of fish. It sounds like rightly or wrongly you were actually convicted of a felony. In your case, you need to hire an attorney, but basically those you are stuck with for life...(But it is not hopeless, different states have different rules...on disclosure...Or you can try to save up money, open up a business and become your own employer. good luck
Interesting, I have an arrest but was not convicted, I plead no contest years ago to misdemeanor charges. I have always wondered if the criminal background checks that employers do, show things up from over 10 years ago.
The place you mention didn't run a background check and find out you were not truthful??
I had a great job one time where they asked only if I had been convicted of a crime, I answered truthfully that I had not. Months later when they ran the background check and found the no contest plea, they fired me.
I did a 6 month contract job where maybe they searched the nation for a Proe Designer Technical Writer combo for a special project, so maybe they didn't want to fire me. But they didn't extend my contract to go into the Subsea group after 6 months, but I got hired at NASA / Jacobs immediately!
I used to work quality control for a background screening company; which entails preventing things such as false criminal records showing up on someone's report. Without going into specifics; spotting a misplaced criminal record is very easy if you are trained to do so. It is does happen, and it can slip through. However, it is rare.
Generally, they stop at 7 years. In fact, in some states it is illegal to go back more than that (for employment purposes). Of course, depending on the company and location, they can go as far back as they want, and do with the info what they want.
As far as lying about your no contest plea; that is possibly what caused your termination. I mean as far as you not answering honestly. Some employers let that stuff slide depending on the charge if you are honest about it. Some will fire you for the discrepancy between what you said and what the report said; yet others would have fired you regardless.
EDIT: For clarification; the employer theoretically can go back as far as they want; it is acting on the info beyond 7 years that is illegal.
I didn't lie on the application, it clearly stated had I ever been convicted of a crime. A no contest plea is not a conviction but that didn't matter to them. Since then I have noticed applications don't only say conviction, they say were you charged, did you accept a plea of no contest OR were you convicted.
I know from working in a police department when you run a criminal history on someone, it lists the number of arrests and the number of convictions.
Intersting, I had no idea there was a limitation on how far back they could go or use info they found. I have never re-offended and no one who knows me would ever guess of my checkered past. Not my finest moment and what I dread is my daughter finding out someday what an idiot I was.
I will have to look into expungement, that would make me feel better but I wonder if its expensive. I will have to check with the courthouse back in Texas.
Well, if after 7 years it don't matter in employment... But what about housing? So MANY Apt complexes in Houston run background checks, I wonder if a 7 year ule applies to them? I don't want to apply $30 to $50 at each complex and then get rejected! - The application money adds up!
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