Will an arrest alone keep someone out of a job today?

[KevK]

Originally Posted by catfancier

Really, this is not about me but someone I know. He works in security/dispatch at a hospital and has for more than 15 years. So I know it's a different world today, post 9/11, etc.

He applied for a very similar security job with a community college, where a friend works and encouraged him to apply. The app form asked about felony "convictions" and he can say no to that...but he was arrested about 17 years ago. He pled to a misdemeanor of what would have been a felony charge. (I think I have this all straight.)

Granted...this was in the security field, not, say, cooking at a fast-food place. But in today's world, is he never going to be able to get another similar job??? If so, he's essentially trapped in the current job...where overtime has been dropped and he has missed out on a few promotions. He'd have to look for a different line of work....

So...even though a form might not ask about arrests only (and I thought that was an illegal question??) they will dig deep anyway and find the arrest?

Input appreciated. I don't know what helpful/cheerful things to say.

If you are not convicted of anything, it is very unlikely they can even find out about an arrest unless you tell them about it or they just happened to be filming "Cops" and you are on TV!

[KevK]

Originally Posted by TKramar

I just read today in the Navy Times that a felony conviction or drug conviction will DEFINITELY keep you out of the Army. No waiver, as in the past.

They were giving waivers for some Army MOS- such as Infantry last year but the higher security stuff like MP was off limits to any felons and many misdemeanors. I am surprised they dropped the waivers all together.

[Chatteress]

Originally Posted by annerk

If people would jsut live within their means and pay their bills, it would be a moot point now, wouldn't it?

Not all incidents of bad credit is the person's fault ... I had a negative credit rating for 7 years due to an ID theft case. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get it erased so I waited it out for those 7 years and haven't had an issue since. I guess those unlucky souls who are victims of ID will have to deal with decreased employment options if we continue with running credit checks on prospective employees. Personally, I think those pre-employment credit checks should be limited to only those positions where money handling is involved (banks, etc).

[KevK]

Originally Posted by annerk

I think that's downright dumb. A credit check should always be performed for anyone in a cash handling position.

The government needs to keep it's nose out of what a private employer can and can't do as long as they don't violate the ADA and OSHA rules.

I agree that a credit check should be performed for a cash handling position and a FEW other "positions of trust". But that is all they should be performed for. Not for the janitor. And the government has a duty to protect workers from unwarranted intrusions in their lives.

[Chatteress]

Originally Posted by Alaskan Mutt

Many people that have credit problems did not get there by living beyond their means. Many of the millions that do not have health ins also are either unemployed or have low paying jobs. Going to the doctor for anything more than a case of the sinffles can rack up a bill in the $1,000s. Even if you work on paying off the bill it can still reflect poorly on your credit report.

Excellent point ...

[JS1]

The theory that people with bad credit will embezzle money to pay their bills sounds pretty dumb.

Bills go unpaid, and credit scores drop, primarily because of illness, divorce, or shopping sprees, not because of a lack of good embezzlement opportunities.

[MSchemist80]

Well I've found that in the hiring process HR make such ridiculous generalizations and rash judgments that if they were made about race rather than employability they'd be wearing white sheets.