Got a job! Then turned down...

My terrible past strikes again. I was offered my first IT job today with Apple...finally going to get my foot in the door. 12.40/hr, 50 hours a week...yes I'll take it (I would have done for minimum wage at this point). Then we start going over a few things and the dreaded question..." So if I do a background check will anything come up". "Yes a DUI" I say, so I began to tell her about it and I say since it was a car wreck and injuries, here in CA that is an automatic felony. She stops me right there and asks me if I said felony, I said yes and she tells me that she can't hire me with a felony. I knew this was the reason why I can't even get a help desk job. I have applied for a ton of these that I am qualified for and nothing. This just confirms it for me. So I am contacting a lawyer to see if I can't get this damned thing reduced to a misdemeanor. That is all just wanted to vent a little bit thanks for listening.

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Comments

Akaricloud

Yeah, unfortunately a lot of companies won't hire a felon. Definitely see what your lawyer can do if anything.

Companies generally won't find out about it until very late in the hiring process(such as you saw here), so I wouldn't necessarily say it's the entire reason why you're not finding a job.

WafflesAndRootbeer

I'm sure you can find a job elsewhere. There are a lot of people working in IT who have been convicted of doing far worse than what you did and plenty who have done exactly what you did. Just keep at it.

Death Dream

Akaricloud wrote: »

Yeah, unfortunately a lot of companies won't hire a felon. Definitely see what your lawyer can do if anything.

Same thing goes here where I work. We won't hire anyone with a felony no matter what it is. Even if we think it is stupid, or Corprate office won't allow it as it is our policy. It can't be avoided and can only be found after the background check is ran. That is why it should be asked in the first interview if you have a felon on your record. Some interviewers forget and give people false hope.

Akaricloud

Death Dream wrote: »

Same thing goes here where I work. We won't hire anyone with a felony no matter what it is. Even if we think it is stupid, or Corprate office won't allow it as it is our policy. It can't be avoided and can only be found after the background check is ran. That is why it should be asked in the first interview if you have a felon on your record. Some interviewers forget and give people false hope.

Well, also a lot of companies never check. I would never mention it unless they ask.

someasiandude

job at the apple store?

YFZblu

I'm imagining being in those shoes, and it must be difficult - That's really tough. Keep your head up and eventually something will happen for you.

neo9006

For a DUI, I mean I think they could give you a second chance if your qualified for the job, I know I was given a second chance due to some personal problems that happened. Keep your head up and things will fall in place.

AintRite

She told me the job was mine over the phone, after we had talked for minute. Then as a final thought right as we were getting off the phone and I was going in to do the paper work. As a final thought I think, she asked me what they would find when they ran a background check, if anything. So I told her that and that's when she said to bad for me.LOL All the applications that I have filled out so far ask if there are any felonies in the past 7/10 years and I don't lie on those, so they know up front that I have a felony.

Good news though. I have done a little research and it seems that it is quite possible that I can get this reduced to a misdemeanor. I have a call into a lawyer so hopefully I will here from him tomorrow. Might set me back $750 but well worth it in my eyes.

neo9006

That is good, try that and then go bang those jobs, if your getting offers then it shouldn't be too had to get something, like posters have said, people have gotten hired for worse.

AintRite

Yeah that's for sure.

Iristheangel

I would also recommend consulting positions. The position I am at right now is technically a consultant position and I didn't get a drug or background check for the position. Different contracting companies have different policies but it might be something to look into.

I did a little bit of Googling last night and it appears you can petition to get it expunged from your record. Considering it's not a violent felony and you're not a repeat offender, you have a high chance of getting it removed which basically means it'll be removed as far as employment is concerned, not the courts. If you got caught doing something else or in another DUI, they could use that against you but it sounds like you learned your lesson the hard way and wouldn't make the mistake a second time. I would recommend getting a pre-paid legal service plan like the Hilton one just so you can get some free advice, free hours, and paperwork filled out for like $20-40 a month. Just a thought. I used to get that service through my old job and it was awesome for landlord difficulties

jmritenour

As an aside, our system is really not fair in this respect. Do the crime, do your time, then that should be that. Now, I can understand certain convictions not fitting in some careers, ie, I wouldn't let a child molester be a daycare worker, but it's really not right that someone be refused employment for a previous offense after they've paid their debt to society.

Good luck, AintRite.

AintRite

Iristheangel wrote: »

I would also recommend consulting positions. The position I am at right now is technically a consultant position and I didn't get a drug or background check for the position. Different contracting companies have different policies but it might be something to look into.

I did a little bit of Googling last night and it appears you can petition to get it expunged from your record. Considering it's not a violent felony and you're not a repeat offender, you have a high chance of getting it removed which basically means it'll be removed as far as employment is concerned, not the courts. If you got caught doing something else or in another DUI, they could use that against you but it sounds like you learned your lesson the hard way and wouldn't make the mistake a second time. I would recommend getting a pre-paid legal service plan like the Hilton one just so you can get some free advice, free hours, and paperwork filled out for like $20-40 a month. Just a thought. I used to get that service through my old job and it was awesome for landlord difficulties

Since I was in a car wreck with injuries it was considered a violent felony, but from what I read yesterday, I can get it reduced to a misdemeanor, not expunged. I can't get it expunged anyway since I still owe a crap load of restitution. I also ended up with a strike, and that will stay also. Getting it reduced to misdemeanor will work just fine I think because all of the apps ask for felonies (the ones in the past few weeks anyway) not misdemeanors.

Thanks you guys for the support even though you don't know me. I was pretty upset at myself yesterday when this happened.

Drackar

Yeah Felonies can kill a career pretty quick.

CompuTron99

The company I work for does background checks on the perminent employees, but not the temps. I think whenever a temp's contract is over they are allowed to take iPads, tools, etc.

N2IT

Yeah with a felony you can't do much. I have a friend who couldn't even rent an apartment because of a felony. Felonious behavior really can impact your life.

santaowns

Sorry to say this, but this is your punishment for drinking and driving. I firmly believe in some parts of the system in place and expungement is not one. I realize you have a family, but u didnt think of them or anyone elses family before you got in that car.

Easiest way into it for you might be starting your own business.

AintRite

Obviously this is my punishment but how long should I be punished for? I have completed the punishment that the justice system thought I should do. The way I look at felonies and jobs is that the crime should be taken into consideration with the job. Like if I was a child molester, then I probably wouldn't want to apply as a child care person, a thief probably wouldn't want to run a cash register. I'm also not trying to get it expunged, I'm just trying to get it reduced to a misdemeanor so I can be a productive member of society.

BTW I was only .04 bac...CA legal limit is .08 bac. If I would have just wrecked my car by myself I wouldn't have even got in trouble. My tires were bald and I slide into the other lane while going around a corner and was hit by another car. I don't have a good past and the DA threatened to use that against me if I didn't take the deal. So everything is not as it seems.

santaowns

You know, i am sorry. I knew i would regret that post, as i knew you would have a truely bad situation. Sorry that you got shafted, but if i give you slack then id have to do it for others too. As far as how long, only until you find someone to accept you for you everything inclded. I have seen firsthand how hard it s for felons, so i know how you feel., but i dont live in your shoes. Again i am sorry for the pain and suffering you are having and wish you luck in,your search.

kevozz

It all comes down to liability for your employer.

Do a google search for "Federal Bonding Program" and/or "Felon(y) Bonding Program".

Check with your DOL. They offer help with this.

Jobs, programs, housing, and help for felons offers a few examples. AT&T is listed as a felony friendly company.

AintRite

Thanks for the info.

AintRite

santaowns wrote: »

You know, i am sorry. I knew i would regret that post, as i knew you would have a truely bad situation. Sorry that you got shafted, but if i give you slack then id have to do it for others too. As far as how long, only until you find someone to accept you for you everything inclded. I have seen firsthand how hard it s for felons, so i know how you feel., but i dont live in your shoes. Again i am sorry for the pain and suffering you are having and wish you luck in,your search.

No reason to apologize, I was expecting alot more of those type of posts to be honest and what you said is definitely true. It is totally selfish and stupid to drink and drive. I wasn't offended by your post at all. Thanks for apology even though it wasn't needed.

bhcs2014

santaowns wrote: »

Sorry to say this, but this is your punishment for drinking and driving. I firmly believe in some parts of the system in place and expungement is not one. I realize you have a family, but u didnt think of them or anyone elses family before you got in that car.

Easiest way into it for you might be starting your own business.

This is exactly what I was gonna say.

Look for opportunities with smaller companies or start your own business.

N2IT

I'd look for attorneys who can help get this removed.

lsud00d

Unless you're 100% anonymous and definitely cannot be dox'd, I would advise to scrub any details pertaining to the incident. We (the internet) don't need to know the details and I would reserve this for just you and your lawyer.

Cyberscum

Dude most companies never check these things unless you give them a reason. My wife's company had hired a CFO and he worked there for almost 4 months until people started to notice he did not have alot of answers to questions. They finally ran a background check on him becasue of his behavior and it came back he had a felony past AND had a false (bought online) PHD degree ha ha. They fired him on the spot, but he collected a nice paycheck for those 4 months! If he had a clue of what he was doing he might still work there;) Just saying

Socom

One of my coworkers was a drug dealer, he had felony amounts of weed on him AFAIK and was sent to prison. When I met him he was working as our SCCM engineer for a government consultant company, 1500+ employees for about $40k, a couple months later he got a new job paying $80k, then $120k, currently making $200k.

omi2123

It's same here at Dell. If you fail the drug test or have any felony, no job for you.