What is the name of your state?Texas
Twenty four years ago I pled guilty to theft by check (it was $12,000) a class A felony. I was sentenced to four years at TDC and did a little under a year and got out on parole. My parole officer advised me to be truthful on applications but when I told her I was not getting a job, she said she understood if I lied to get a job.
I took the county civil service test and got a job in the county clerk's office. Then after a few years I took the postal service test and got a job there. They did not do a background check but made you swear that you had no felonies. I just got used to lying.
But then that nutty guy shot up the post office up in Oklahoma. The post office freaked and decided to do checks on everyone. One day, after five years of doing a good job and getting promoted, I got called into HR and they advised me I had lied on my application so they were letting me go. They let me have the option of quitting, which I did. The union told me they could not help, even though they would try, but I just didn't have any fight in me.
I got jobs after that mostly by signing up with temp agencies, proving myself to an employer, and getting offered permanent work. Things worked out and I didn't even have to lie. My last job was with AT&T and their only question was "Have you been arrested in the last seven years?" to which I was delighted that I could honestly answer NO! Well, their business has fallen apart and been sold and most of us who were making too much money got shown the door.
Now here I am, 55 years old, and I cannot get a job. I am just looking for a secretarial job, not a bank job. I have done nothing in the last 24 years, I can pass their drug screens, but agencies won't touch me. They say that due to 9/11, all their clients want full background checks and won't take anyone with a felony. I have tried to just directly apply for jobs and there are 200 25 years old women at every interview. I don't stand a chance once I tell them about my record. I have left many an interview in tears and I am about at the end of my rope. I am considering just making up a name and social security number and pretending I never worked before, just to get any job. But they would find out sooner or later that I just made up my data, so what is the point?
My questions are:
1) Is there a way that they can find out that I was forced to quit at the post office? I don't say that, I say I resigned and I have always thought the privacy act protected me as far as the details. I know someone who works there and I know they only tell those who inquire the date of hire, the date you left, and the job title, nothing else, not even pay. And they only do it in writing, so they observe the privacy act, but is there someplace else employers could be finding something else out? Do I need to tell that sad tale too?
2) AT&T won't tell an employer anything but date hired, date terminated, and position also. But they have sold out almost their entire business. At some point, could it be another company who bought out my division doing the employment verifications under their own policies? I have been saying I quit there, but they let me go, and they were not very nice about it. They were dumping us any way they could. Do I need to admit the truth to avoid more trouble down the line? How am I ever going to get a job that way?
3) Are there any companies that do hire people like me, people who really have rehabilitated themselves and will never be a problem to them, but who made a mistake 24 years ago? Even the temp agencies are checking now, and I cannot even go that route. I am nearly suicidal at this point. I would clean hotel rooms but they do a background check too! Please help me, I am desperate for any suggestions.
4) One more question, would moving out of state make any difference?
Twenty four years ago I pled guilty to theft by check (it was $12,000) a class A felony. I was sentenced to four years at TDC and did a little under a year and got out on parole. My parole officer advised me to be truthful on applications but when I told her I was not getting a job, she said she understood if I lied to get a job.
I took the county civil service test and got a job in the county clerk's office. Then after a few years I took the postal service test and got a job there. They did not do a background check but made you swear that you had no felonies. I just got used to lying.
But then that nutty guy shot up the post office up in Oklahoma. The post office freaked and decided to do checks on everyone. One day, after five years of doing a good job and getting promoted, I got called into HR and they advised me I had lied on my application so they were letting me go. They let me have the option of quitting, which I did. The union told me they could not help, even though they would try, but I just didn't have any fight in me.
I got jobs after that mostly by signing up with temp agencies, proving myself to an employer, and getting offered permanent work. Things worked out and I didn't even have to lie. My last job was with AT&T and their only question was "Have you been arrested in the last seven years?" to which I was delighted that I could honestly answer NO! Well, their business has fallen apart and been sold and most of us who were making too much money got shown the door.
Now here I am, 55 years old, and I cannot get a job. I am just looking for a secretarial job, not a bank job. I have done nothing in the last 24 years, I can pass their drug screens, but agencies won't touch me. They say that due to 9/11, all their clients want full background checks and won't take anyone with a felony. I have tried to just directly apply for jobs and there are 200 25 years old women at every interview. I don't stand a chance once I tell them about my record. I have left many an interview in tears and I am about at the end of my rope. I am considering just making up a name and social security number and pretending I never worked before, just to get any job. But they would find out sooner or later that I just made up my data, so what is the point?
My questions are:
1) Is there a way that they can find out that I was forced to quit at the post office? I don't say that, I say I resigned and I have always thought the privacy act protected me as far as the details. I know someone who works there and I know they only tell those who inquire the date of hire, the date you left, and the job title, nothing else, not even pay. And they only do it in writing, so they observe the privacy act, but is there someplace else employers could be finding something else out? Do I need to tell that sad tale too?
2) AT&T won't tell an employer anything but date hired, date terminated, and position also. But they have sold out almost their entire business. At some point, could it be another company who bought out my division doing the employment verifications under their own policies? I have been saying I quit there, but they let me go, and they were not very nice about it. They were dumping us any way they could. Do I need to admit the truth to avoid more trouble down the line? How am I ever going to get a job that way?
3) Are there any companies that do hire people like me, people who really have rehabilitated themselves and will never be a problem to them, but who made a mistake 24 years ago? Even the temp agencies are checking now, and I cannot even go that route. I am nearly suicidal at this point. I would clean hotel rooms but they do a background check too! Please help me, I am desperate for any suggestions.
4) One more question, would moving out of state make any difference?
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