Expungement and employment?

Question

I have two misdemeanors on my record. One is a DUI for going through a checkpoint slowly and safely with a BAC of .109. The other is for breaking into a friend's house for a prank when I was 19. I was convicted of 2nd degree burglary as a misdemeanor and told it could be expunged eventually. I've heard you can get DUI's expunged.

If I do get them expunged, will that significantly increase my chances of getting hired, or will companies see them anyway? I'm majoring in economics and I want a job in banking or finance. What about people I meet? Will the rich ones be able to look me up and see my convictions, or does expungement really mean a clean slate?

Answer 1

Ever since 9/11 and the Bush administration's holy war on the rights of the people, even records that were expunged a decade before pop up on pre-employment searches.  

If you were young when these things happened, I would answer truthfully on your applications and explain the circumstances.    

Answer 2

Don't give that information to them, let them find it on their own.  Eventually you'll land a job.  Consequences of naivety, should not make you feel guilty nor change the direction of your goals

Answer 3

It's supposed to mean it's erased from your record.  In reality, the files are still there.  Also, any news coverage will probably come up in a search.  You can't count on them never raising their ugly heads again.  Also, when asked on an application whether you've been arrested or convicted, you're supposed to be truthful.  This is especially true if the question is asked in connection with law or government.

Answer 4

Expungement can take a while, and requires that you be clean for a period of time before it can occur.  Sometimes it's costly.

You've made some bad choices and need a record of NOT making such poor choices.  Minimizing the DUI doesn't give me confidence in your judgment.  That was a DUI and you shouldn't have been driving.

Answer 5

If you get them expunged, it will certainly increase your chances of getting hired.  

Although the offenses will still be on your record and a court clerk or other governmental agency can view it, they should not be revealed to companies/employers who request a background check.  If you are denied employment because of this, the companies are required to tell you why, in which case you can dispute the information that they found.

If you get the records expunged, it is my highest recommendation to get documents from the court indicative of the expungement so that if any employers do happen to find it (not too likely, but still possible), you have the document to provide to them and it makes the dispute process much easier and faster.

Good luck :)

Answer 6

When something goes on your record it stays there, it may not be avaible to the general public, but it is nevertheless, still there.

Answer 7

You can't get two convictions expunged! It's hard enough to find a job with one conviction on your record, with two, it's virtually impossible. Good luck, pal, you're gonna need it!!!

Answer 8

if law enforcement does the background check then it may show up.

a private service doing a check should not see anything but that does not mean they won't. expunged records show up all the time. the good thing is background checks are covered by the "Fair Credit Reporting Act" and as such you have a right to a copy of the report and to dispute any inaccuracies in it.