• FreeAdvice has a new Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, effective May 25, 2018.
    By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our Terms of Service and use of cookies.

Paraphernalia Charge / Employment

Accident - Bankruptcy - Criminal Law / DUI - Business - Consumer - Employment - Family - Immigration - Real Estate - Tax - Traffic - Wills   Please click a topic or scroll down for more.

1984child

Junior Member
I am in Virginia. About two years ago, I was convicted of possession of drug paraphernalia. A friend of mine got the same charge in 2002 and recently applied for a job with Pepsi (and got it) by not mentioning or listing his paraphernalia conviction. They either never found out about it or found out and never mentioned it. When he got the job, it had been about 3 years and a couple months since the conviction. Now I'm looking for a job, specifically with Comcast, and didn't mention my conviction on my application. My questions are: does a background check usually go back three years, or is it completely random from company-to-company? How severe is this change regarding employment? Obviously a company would prefer someone with NO criminal record but, is this a common enough charge to keep me in the running although it's fairly recent? In your experience, would it benefit me to call the company back and admit the arrest or would that be more likely to foul my chances up? Is this a charge I'm going to have to disclose in interviews for the rest of my life?
 


fairisfair

Senior Member
it all depends, on your states statutes regarding background checks for employment purposes, on the company to which you are applying, and on the background service that they use. Was this a misdemeanor charge? Some companies do not even ask about misdemeanor arrests or convictions, some do. You only need to answer the questions that are asked. You are not required to offer information that is not requested.
 

fairisfair

Senior Member
then you should have disclosed it. You can bet that they will probably find it, and what may have been a non issue, will now be a major issue. Nobody wants to hire a liar.
I seriously doubt that calling them to correct the mistake would have a positive effect.

Perhaps you will be lucky, like your friend.
 

1984child

Junior Member
So Bruce, in your experience has that ever worked for anyone? I was thinking the same thing, just bluff it and take my chances. I can pass a drug test so at least they'll see that although I WAS on pot, I'm not now. I suppose it's worth a shot, but I don't wanna miss a day of work for no reason.
 
Last edited:

2901bruce

Member
So Bruce, in your experience has that ever worked for anyone? I was thinking the same thing, just bluff it and take my chances. I can pass a drug test so at least they'll see that although I WAS on pot, I'm not now. I suppose it's worth a shot, but I don't wanna miss a day of work for no reason.
Hey 1984child. What do you have to lose?? If you don't state it, & they find out about it, you could lose your job. If you state it, there's probably a 95% chance that you will not be hired. Play the odds.
 

Find the Right Lawyer for Your Legal Issue!

Fast, Free, and Confidential
data-ad-format="auto">
Top