I'm a convicted felon who is trying to become a Registered Nurse. I have a 1st degree felony drug charge for Possession of Controlled Substance from May 2000 - ten years ago! I finally got accepted into a nursing program after being rejected from another and thought I have over come all the hurdles. Now the school has just informed me that I may not be able to get into their school after all because the hospitals where I have to do clinicals may not allow felons.... Do you have any advice? Would some kind of bond maybe help my situation as far as the hospitals go?
Thanks for your help,
Melody
Hello Melody,
Jobs for felons in the medical field depends on the conviction. Drug charges almost always prohibits one from working in hospitals. Your only hope may be to have your conviction sealed. The only problem with that is, even with an expungement or sealing, your conviction will always be visible to law enforcement, the court system and government agencies which will present a problem being licensed.
Often ex-offender and felon job searches begin with legal assistance. I suggest contacting your local legal aid office to see if sealing of your record or expungement is an option for you.
Hi my name is LaToya and I am an ex felon. I just feel like I'm going through a rough time right now, feeling real down on myself for the mistakes i have made in the past. Now no one will give a chance. I just completed a program (Center of Employment training) for Building Maintenance in Washington, DC but nothing has changed still can't find a job. What am I supposed to do? Just feel like giving up.... Please give me some advice, what can I do?
Hello LaToya,
As I tell most ex-offenders and felonslooking for jobs, It's going to take hard work, determination and having the right tools.
You can get a lot of help at your local One-stop Career center. You will find a variety of services that can help you get a job. You can get help with a resume, interviewing skills and a list of open jobs in your area. Most centers have counselors who have experience helping ex-offenders and felons get jobs.
My husband has a felony, the charge is lewd and liscivious. It was an incident that happened about 6 years ago before we met. He had a drinking problem at the time and has not drank any alcohol in the past 5 years. After serving 7 months in prison for this crime he got out and went back to school. He started at a community college and went on to be accepted to the Kansas University school of business and graduated with a degree in accounting with distinction which is no small feat! He graduated in December of 09 and has since been unable to find a job in his field. He has had one offer that was later taken back after seeing his charge on paper and several interviews for jobs where I know he would have got them if it weren't for this charge. We tried to get it expunged but were unsuccessful. The judge did say we should try again later as he wasn't saying no forever. My husband is becoming increasingly disappointed and losing hope. He is a great, intelligent and changed man. What more can we do?
My suggestion is to apply for jobs by letter of application. By applying for jobs this way often allows ex-offenders and felons to get around the application process and never have to mention that he has a criminal record.
I suggest getting help in his job search from powerful and influential people. Contact elected officials in your area and ask for help. He should express his desire to be employed and once again become a productive member of society. Elected officials have staff members that answer letters and respond to inquiries from citizens. Officials that could offer assistance are: Mayors, Council Members, Commissioners, Aldermen, Board Members, Assemblymen, and Judges.
Sometime getting jobs as ex-offenders and felons takes a little creativity,
My friend has been out of prison for over 15 years and is losing hope of finding substantial work help maintain his home. Does this Act really work or is this another G. W. Bush "Smoke Screen".
I always tell ex-offenders and felons looking for jobs to depend on their will to work hard. It would be foolish to wait for any program or legislation to solve a problem for you. With or without social programs, felons can only hope to get jobs by making themselves employable enough to compete for jobs on the open market. This will take a definite plan of action that includes a well written resume, job search and interview skills to start. It will take hours of hard work. he can get a head start on his job search by making a visit to the local One-stop Career Center. This should be the first stop for anyone looking for jobs especially those with criminal records. He will find a number of valuable services that could get him ready to compete for jobs. He may also find opportunities for training that could mean a new career. You can find the closest One-stop Career Center as well as all of the available services here:
I found your website very informative and would like to convey my story to you. I met Kurt in 2004 and we fell in love and have been living together ever since. His story began in 1978 when he held up several hotels. He served time and was paroled in 1984. He did another holdup in 1984 and served a total of 8 years for all his crimes. His most recent offense was an assault charge in 2005. That charge stemmed from my ex stalking me and threatening me with a gun. Kurt went to jail, not the gun carrying stalker. Go figure. He cannot find ajob to save his life. All he wants to do is work. He's tried Goodwill. Here in Fort Worth, the job that they told him to come in for wanted a clean criminal background. He most recently was washing cars for a valet service at DFW airport. As soon as the background report came back, he was let go.
He is one of the most intelligent and kind men I have ever met. His prospects are very limited at this time and he feels totally worthless. He has excellent computer and phone skills and has proved that when he worked with me in the oil and gas industry several years ago being a landman.
He has signed up with any and all temporary firms that are out there and they tell him that they cannot place him because of his background. He has been through Texas Workforce Commission and they are totally useless.
With kind regards,
Gwyn
Hello Gwyn,
Kurt has some serious convictions to work with, armed robbery and aggravated assault. I have worked with tougher cases. He may have the best chance at employment applying for jobs that don't have much contact with others or valuables. As I always suggest for felons with similar offenses, warehouse or factory work may offer the best opportunities.
I wish there was a simple solution but there is not. Whenever he gets an interview, he can tell the prospective employer that he can be bonded. See the video below about The Federal Bonding Program. Often ex-offenders and felons stand a better chance of getting hired by employers if they are bondable.
In response to your postings regarding 'help for felons pursuing employment,' questions emerge regarding my status. I appreciate any information you can supply. All of my convictions are ‘drug or controlled substances' felonies but none are for 'Sale of.' Briefly, I spent a year incarcerated by Ohio at their Mansfield Reformatory and Lebanon Correctional Institute. Upon release, I remained clean and sober for eight years. A relapse lasted for over a year and netted me two low-level felonies for which I spent three months in the county jail in northern Kentucky. Over twenty years passed before I committed two felonies of the lowest order i.e., intent to posses and possession of paraphernalia. Adjudication resulted in one-year probation, which ended six years ago. Currently, I am 58 years old and receiving a modest disability payment for an incurable disease. However, I am feeling better and my physicians informed me a cure becomes available in one or two years at the latest. I do want to work or operate my own business. I earned a BA. In 1984 and completed over 60 hours of graduate work before two family deaths sent me into a deep, clinical depression. Some people refer to this educational situation as an ABD (all but dissertation). I did my graduate work at the University of Cincinnati and the Union Graduate School in professional psychology, while working as the administrator of an out patient drug, alcohol, and mental health department of a large health care system in Cincinnati. In 1991 -1992, I worked in a private practice as a Psychology Resident according to provisions of the Ohio State Psychology Board.
Apparently, background checks are performed routinely now and I am concerned about my criminal background even though it is all non-violent and drug related. I am considering returning to university studies to gain an entry into a new line of work or self-employment. Can you provide me with any assistance? Currently, the depression in almost overwhelming when I see how I allowed my life to be ruined by addiction. I know I am capable - I am a member of the American Mensa High IQ Society and earned many academic awards and honors during my life. I come from a successful family with a father who was a chemical engineer and my mother is a retired schoolteacher. I have one daughter from four marriages and two wonderful grandchildren; one of whom is a rising film star. I want to work and I need to work. I feel like it just isn't worth it all at times. This is why I write to you and feel a guarded new sense of hope.
That is quite a background. Self-employment is always an option for ex-offenders and felons having difficulty finding jobs. You may get some guidance from and organization called S.C.O.R.E (Service Corps of Retired Executives.) They offer free business advice to entrepreneurs. you can get more information here: http://www.score.org/index.html
With your background, you may also want to contact your local United Way. The United Way supports a number of non-profit social service organizations that may be able to use someone with your extensive qualifications as well as agencies that help ex-offenders and felons.
I hope this helps.
Are you a felon who is having difficulty finding a job? You can have your questions answered on this blog. Just send your questions to adogzheart2@gmail.com
I am a convicted felon and want to know if I am able to get a Paralegal degree and practice in the state of California? My conviction was for Bank Robbery. Thank you for your time.
Surely you can pursue a paralegal degree. The question is will you be allowed to practice in the state of California. Contact the school where you seek education. Career schools usually have job placement departments how assist their graduates in finding employment. The school will be able to tell you based on your conviction if you will be eligible to be licensed.
First and foremost, I want to thank you for taking your time to both run your very informational blog as well as to view my e-mail. Secondly, I apologize in advance for the multiple questions that I am asking. Now, for some insight...I met my boyfriend two years ago, just before he was going to jail in MD for a violation of probation. He also confided in me from the start that he was facing seven felony charges in PA. Caring deeply for him, I agreed that so long as he was a changed man and did not participate in the activity that landed him in trouble in the first place from there on out, that I would stay with him. I waited for him while he served his violation of probation sentence, and ever since a little over a year ago, we have been in a serious, committed relationship. He has been sober ever since we met...and you can ask anyone, his friends, family, teachers, old co-workers...he has certainly changed, for the better. Of course, our lives together have been a roller coaster. His charges from PA loomed for the first nine or so months of our relationship. Every court date, I did not know if he was returning to jail, and if I would be left waiting again. In the meantime, he did everything that he needed to. He voluntarily participated in rehab, did volunteer work at a local non-profit organization, and stayed sober. When his sentencing date came around, the judge recognized all of his hard work and let him off with six years of probation instead of the two years in jail that he had agreed to in the plea agreement. Even his lawyer was shocked, and shook his head when my boyfriend thanked him, before saying, "I did nothing. You did all of the work." The downside was that he officially became a convicted felon, instead of having pending felonies. Thankfully, they were dropped from seven to three. This was very exciting news, of course. Even more so exciting was that a couple of hours after we got home, he received a phone call for an interview. By the next week, he already had a part-time job. He held the job for a month without any problems until recently. Despite being a very hard worker and increasing sales by $5,000 single-handedly in the short amount of time that he worked there, corporate obtained his background check and the store let him go. This was very frustrating, especially seeing as when he was hired, his managers knew every single little thing on his record. He was never dishonest about anything. The local store wanted him, but corporate did not. This leaves us in a pickle. We have bills to pay, bills that I cannot afford on my own. We realize how much of a struggle it was for the first nine months for him to even get an interview, and here he is, back at square one. Everything feels like it happened so quickly - he was given a second chance, and it was ripped away from him just as fast. He has a strong resume that we have sent to numerous employers, but he obviously cannot pass a background check. Even local laboring agencies will not accept people with so much as a misdemeanor, since they are specifically for "individuals with clean records who just cannot find jobs," as he was told on the phone. He is getting pretty discouraged...I can provide emotional support, no problem, but financially, I cannot hold us both up for too long. What would your best suggestion be? Should he even mention this latest job on his resume? He was a great worker - they just did not want him after the background check. How is he supposed to explain working for simply a month to the next person who offers him an interview? To add to his woes and dreams getting crushed, he wants so desperately to join the Army...unfortunately, every recruiter that we have talked to laughs in his face and turns him away. One of our best friends is a Sgt. MP and he keeps giving my boyfriend hope, though that goes away when the actual recruiters say there is no chance. Considering that my boyfriend was represented by a public defender in his court case involving the felony charges, what course of action can we take? I have seen on your blog the mentioning of sending letters to lessen felonies to misdemeanors, etc to help with this problem. It is just very confusing when his public defender says that he has to wait seven years to have his felonies expunged before he can join the Army, the judge says he only needs to finish probation to join the Army, and the recruiters say no matter how old a charge is, he can never join the Army. Being with this man whom I care so deeply for and yet feel like I can't help is a very overwhelming feeling. I have such a strong passion now to organize and rally, to contact my local government to encourage them to encourage employers to hold ex-offender friendly job fairs, etc. not just for my boyfriend, but for all reformed convicts who truly do want to change their lives. How would I go about doing that? Would a letter suffice? Who would I even write to in our local government? I want to advocate to help others get the second chances that they deserve, I just feel as though I need a bit of direction or encouragement to get me going. Thank you so much for reading, and God bless your work and all that you do. -Hoping to Help
Your boyfriend is lucky to have someone like you in his corner. Many ex-offenders andfelons usually don't have as much support. As for listing such a short term job, I would not. It would simply raise more questions. I would apply at smaller companies that can hire at their own discretion. Your boyfriend may also consider temporary employment. Once again he may have success applying at small independent employment agencies who are free to hire anyone they please rather than national companies that have stiffer corporate hiring guidelines. Another option is contact your local United Way. The United Way financially supports social service agencies including some which help ex-offenders or may even employ them. Goodwill Industries also have programs which help and employ ex-offenders and felons.
Expungement is not an option when seeking to join the military. Expungement does not erase convictions. It makes them unavailable for view from the public. They will always be visible to law enforcement, the court system and government agencies. The Army will grant waivers for those convicted of certain felonies allowing them to join. If the recruiter tell you that you are ineligible, then you are.
In these tough economic times, there are so many unemployed people who do not have criminal backgrounds making jobs for ex-offenders and felons even more difficult. An out-of-the-box approach may beto contact elected officials in your area and ask for help. He can express his desire to be employed and once again become a productive member of society. Elected officials have staff members that answer letters and respond to inquiries from citizens. Officials that could offer assistance are: Mayors, Council Members, Commissioners, Aldermen, Board Members, Assemblymen, and Judges. Never ask for jobs, only suggestions. He may be surprised how well this works.
My name is Brittani. I am located in Richardson, TX. I got a felony back in 2003 for a theft charge and since this has happened I have been very unsuccessful on finding a employer to give me a chance. Is there anyway you could please help me out with this???
Thanks,
Brittani
Hello Bittani,
If you have a parole or probation officer, you could ask about others on his/her client list to see if and where they were able to get jobs. Probation and parole officers usually know of employers who have been known to hire ex-offenders and felons.
Since you have a theft charge, you may be more successful apply for jobs that do not involve the handling of money or valuables.
Another option is to apply for jobs at temporary employment agencies. Temporary employment is a great way for felons to get jobs that may turn into more permanent employment.
I would also go to your local One-stop career center. Felons job searching can find a variety of services that could help them prepare for employment. Check out the video below:
I just happened on your blog today. I am in a committed relationship with a guy and things are progressing in the serious direction. However, he has recently told me he is a felon. He served 2 years in prison for robbery. All this occurred approx. 10 years ago. My question is how does this potentially effect our relationship long therm if I was to decide to settle down/marry him? Will this effect our ability to buy a home (i.e. Condo or Co-OP ), gainful employment etc. I apologize in advance if my questions sound ignorant.
Nina
Hello Nina,
I'm happy to hear that your relationship is working well. The fact that your significant other is a felon may test your commitment a little. I don't foresee his past being a barrier to owning a home etc., but it may impact his ability to readily get the type of job he wants right away. Of course I am not a relationship expert, but if he has not decided on a life without crime, you may have a tough time of it. Even a person with the best of intentions cannot change someone who has not made his mind that he wants something else in life.
Being a felon may make getting a good job a little tougher that those who are not so he may need your total support. Help him stay focused on your mutual goals and all will work out.
I received a felony dui in the state of Illinois. I wanted to relocate to the south but it is plagued with the Old Jim Crow Laws. In the state of Illinois, 3 dui's are considered a felony. In the state of Tennessee, it is 4. If I relocate to the state of Tennessee, can this 13 year old felony conviction from Illinois stop me from gaining employment in Tn. or any other state.
Ann
Hello Ann,
A felony conviction in one state may not be a felony in another state but will still show up on a background check as a felony. Often felon job searches begin with legal assistance. You may want to consider applying for expungement in Illinois. You can get more information here:
I am hoping to get this question answered correctly, I currently live in Colorado Springs and in January of 2009 I picked up a felony menacing charge and 5 counts of child abuse without injury, after 26 days in county jail I finally accepted a plea for the felony menacing charge and 1 count of child abuse without injury, I was offered a 3-year deferred judgement, and told by my public defendant that this charge would never show up once the 3-year deferred was done, I learned that was untrue from my probation officer, I was also told I do not have to tell a potential employer about the felony unless it they specifically ask if it resulted in probation or a deferred adjudication, I hold a degree in Computer Technology and have been unable to obtain any work in my field since this charge, so my questions are:
1. Am I legally bound to disclose any of this to a potential employer?
2. Will I ever be able to work for the federal government or obtain a security clearance?
3. When doing a pre-employment background check, how will this charge appear to a potential employer, is it a conviction, or do they see it is deferred, or does it not appear at all (I was told by my probation officer that it does not appear).
If you can help me with these questions I would deeply appreciate it.
Thank You. Hello,
In most cases when the terms of deferred judgement are met, the charges are dropped. Since the charges were dropped, there is no conviction. Record of this can only be seen by the court system, law enforcement and certain government agencies. In deferred judgement, there is an initial plea of guilty. It is my understanding, at the end of the probationary period, if you have complied with all the conditions of probation, the guilty plea is considered withdrawn, the case is dismissed and no conviction enters. This is because a conviction is not final until there has been both a guilty plea or finding of guilt and the imposition of sentence. Since sentencing does not occur before the end of the probationary term, there is no conviction.
You can answer that question "no" on your employment application. However, be very careful to read the question correctly. As I encourage all ex-offenders and felonsjob searching, pay careful attention to the wording of the application. If it asks for convictions, you only have to list convictions. If it asks for arrests, you must list all arrests. To get an absolute understanding, contact your local legal aid office. An attorney there can explain this better than I can. I hope this helps.
Thank you so much in advance for helping out convicted felons.
My brother just got out of jail after serving for 8 months for marriage fraud, he is an honorably discharged veteran of Afghanistan war and is planning to go to school now under 9/11 GI Bill program.
I was wondering if you could help and tell us where to find the info about what jobs are restricted for felons and most important what licenses they absolutely can't obtain here in NYC.
For example real estate salesperson license, or physical trainer, or any securities licensees, like Series 7 and etc....
Thanks a lot,
Best regards,
Anna.
A: Hello Anna,
I don't know how serious Marriage Fraud is. I'm not sure if is a felony in the state of New York or how it is viewed by employers. There is no list per se but certain jobs may require licensing or certifications that may be restricted to ex-offenders and felons based on their individual convictions. Your brother would have to contact each entity separately to find if he is eligible to be licensed or certified. Here is a list of occupations that require licensing in the state of New York and application information. http://www.labor.state.ny.us/stats/lstrain.shtm#agen
My name is Anita, I was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in February of 2003, It was a death by motor vehicle, and there were no drugs or alcohol that contributed to the accident. I received a three years probation, the accident actually occurred on October 2001, I just had to wait for a court date because it was tried by a jury.
On April 2005, I was charged with a misdemeanor for which I received a 1 year probation or until my fines were paid. I received unemployment from the job because they found that I wasn't responsible for the money being missing. I just was too afraid to take it to court because I was afraid of the outcome. My lawyer told me to plead no contest, I didn't want to but I didn't have the $5000.00 it would cost for a proper defense.
Anyway, I was working for Moore County Schools, and I disclosed my criminal record before I was hired, but they can't find the application. I hadn't been convicted at the time I had started substituting for the school, and at that time it wasn't required unless you have been convicted. However, when I was asked to take on a Teacher's Assistant position in 2004, I had been convicted, and I filled out the criminal record part on the computer at the school. I thought that I was not going to be able to get the job because of my record. To make a long story short, someone called a T.V. station and told them that I had a criminal record. I was then asked to resign from my position.
Right now I have been unable to get a job, and I thought since the involuntary manslaughter charge was an accident that it didn't matter, and the misdemeanor charge wouldn't have any bearing on my job because I didn't work with money. I never got reprimanded for my work performance, and in fact I received great evaluations. I tried to go to a place that helped people with records get a job, but it was limited to those that actually went to prison, or those that had a drug problem. Is there any organizations out there that could help me find a job?
Hello Anita,
I'm sorry your situation is causing you so much stress. As I often suggest to certain people who want to work in schools, try private or charter schools whose hiring practices are more liberal than public school systems.
Often ex-offender and felon job searches require some help from an attorney. Contact your local legal aidoffice to seek assistance in getting your criminal record sealed or expunged since they are non-violent offenses. I should make getting a job easier.
I also suggest applying for temporary jobs. Often if temporary employees are good, they are hired on a permanent basis. When applying for temporary employment, it is better to apply at small independent agencies rather than larger national companies. Smaller agencies are free to hire anyone they choose. You do have marketable skills, so you are in a better position than most ex-offenders and felons job searching.
My brother in law just got out 20 days ago after 3 1/2 years. He was convicted when he was 19 and he's now 23. He was convicted for accessory to murder and possession of an unregistered gun. He's been having a lot of trouble finding a job in Orange County, CA. He's gone to many open interviews, and things seem to be great until they see that he a felony on his record. I've done some searching online and it shows that trucking companies will hire an ex-felon, but he's having so much trouble getting an ID that he doesn't even know about a Driver's License. He's tried going to his PO, but the PO doesn't seem to be much help or want to try and help. He no longer has his birth certificate or SSC, so the DMV told him to get an official letter head from his PO and they would be able to issue him an ID, but his PO refuses to do this.
Would you know of an easier way he can obtain an ID card so he can find employment as well as other employment assistance?
Hello,
As far as his probation officer refusing to help him, his P.O. has a boss so he may have to go over his head for a little help. Her may be able to help him get a birth certificate also. I know parole officers who do this everyday.
This is often a dilemma for ex-offenders and felons job searching. The DMV offers an "Identification Only," license but he will need two other forms of I.D. I suggest getting a copy of his birth certificate from the vital statistics office in the city where he was born. He can get a S.S. card from the local Social Security Administration office. He can find the nearest one in the "blue" pages of the local phone directory.
I want to first thank you from the bottom of my heart for doing this site.
I am on probation for a class D felony (promoting prostitution).? I would like to get a bachelor's degree in business administration. I can't stand on my legs for long periods of time because I have severe back problems and fibromyalgia. I suffer from chronic pain but I would still like to work. I got baptized in jail and I want a decent life and a good job. My question is: I am 46 years, do you think a company will want to hire me at my age with a felony on my record?
Sue,
Hello Sue
Often the felon job search begins with a little legal assistance. I suggest you contact your local legal aid office to see if expungement is an option for you in your state. Legal aid could offer low-cost or no-cost assistance in this process. It will make getting a job a lot easier.
Next contact your local One-stop Career Center. The local One-stop is a full service employment center offering a wide variety of services including job placement to residents. You can find your local One-stop Career Center here:
Finally contact the United Way in your area. I encourage ex-offenders and felons to seek jobs with non-profit organizations. Non-profit organizations are known for being more liberal in their hiring practices than commercial companies. The United Way supports a large number of community organizations and could point you the direction of one that could use your skills.
I recently was arrested for unemployment and food stamp fraud, I haven't been convicted but am in negotiations with the DA for 2 deferred adjudication felonies. I lost my job as a teacher and have been looking for a job for months. I have a Bachelor's degree in Political Science, a Master's in Education and have an Associate degree in Science specializing in Paralegal technology. What are my options? I recently started looking at non-profit organizations but am not sure what kind of background check if any they will do? Any suggestions?
The plus in your situation is that you may have your adjudications deferred. In most cases, once you meet the terms of your agreement (usually fines and probation,) the charges will be dropped and only visible to law enforcement, government agencies and the court system. The prosecutor will be able to tell what will show up on background checks.
If you still wish to teach, you still have the option of private, parochial and charter schools. In the meantime you may want to contact your former teachers union to look into being reinstated.
Consider teaching on the college level especially community colleges who are always looking for qualified instructors. Colleges are usually more flexible than public schools who have to deal with school board regulations and state.
Like manyfelon job searches, yours may begin with a little legal assistance. Contact your local legal aid office and inquire about expungement of your records.
As far as non-profit organizations, you may want to contact you local United Way. They support a myriad of groups and may offer some help deciding which is best for you.
I have a brother that has relocated to MD from NY. He has felonies in NY that are not felonies in this location. Do you have any tips or organizations that he may be able to try? Thanks in advance.
Just a little insight, a felony in one state does not downgrade in another state. I'm not sure where your brother lives in Maryland, but the Maryland Dept. of Labor provides many services for the unemployed. Ex-offenders and felons can get info on available jobs and other valuable services. You can get more information here:
Are you an ex-offender or felon
who has a question about finding a job with a criminal record? I have
been helping ex-offenders and felons get jobs for over ten years and I
feel I have an understanding of what works. I will be updating this
blog often. I will answer specific questions relating to getting a job
with a criminal record on this blog so feel free to send me your
questions. The right information could help a felonget jobs. You could have your question answered right here. Email your question to: BelievePublications@comcast.net.
If you are a felonand really serious about getting a job or you want to help someone you care about get a job, check out this link: From Jail to a Job
