Should a felon lie on applications to get jobs?
I have a friend
who tells me all I have to do to get a
job even with a record is lie. He said That an employer has to get written permission to legally run a background check on anyone. So according to him, if they don't ask for permission, just lie about my record. I want to do things the right way. What do you think?
Thanks,
Ricky
Should a felon lie on applications to get jobs
Hello Ricky
A lot of employment applications have a Certification/Release Statement that the applicant must sign before the application is considered. This statement may also be called an Authorization. The employer is asking you to certify with your signature that all of the information you have given is correct. Part of this certification is a release that gives the employer access to information provided by past employers, law enforcement agencies, educational institutions and other organizations that may have information about you. This is usually in fine print at the very end of the application.
Some believe by being honest on
applications they don’t have a chance at getting a job. The fact is an employer cannot legally refuse to hire you because you have a criminal record unless the conviction is directly related to the job for which you are applying. I have spoken with former inmates who have lied on applications and gotten
jobs, only to lose them later when background checks were done. Some have been encouraged to use the response “Will discuss at interview.” In my opinion, these are not good practices. The best advice I can give is
BE HONEST! Employers have a responsibility to know as much as possible about prospective employees. There have been employers who have been found guilty of negligent hiring when employees who have criminal pasts committed acts that resulted in harm to others. Those situations could have been avoided by careful screening through background checks. Employers will ask directly on applications about criminal convictions as a means to protect himself, his business, and others.
Most employers are concerned with convictions. Pay careful attention to the wording of this question. It may vary from application to application. Typically the question will ask about convictions of crimes and/or felonies and not so much misdemeanors.
There is one exception to this. Before you answer the question "Have you ever been convicted of a crime?" look for the certification/release statement. If there is none, I would leave the space blank. It is often overlooked by being left blank and you won’t have to address the question at all. If it is noticed, and you are questioned, always answer truthfully.
Larger companies will almost always have a release to sign.
Ex-offenders and
felons stand a better chance of being hired by small companies rather than larger ones. Smaller companies usually won't spend money on expensive background checks. Also the owners or managers of smaller companies usually make the hiring decisions.
Jobs for felons and
ex-offenders will depend on being honest on employment applications.
I hope this helps.
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Should a felon lie on applications to get jobs
