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Background Checks

COVID-19 Has Caused Many Rideshare Suspensions Due to Delayed Background Checks

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In the midst of confusion and frustration in regards to job security, the coronavirus crisis has forced the closure of more than 800 courthouses across the country. These closures have impacted the lives of rideshare drivers, such as drivers for Lyft and Uber, and have prevented many from earning a living wage through ridesharing.

This is due to the fact that Lyft and Uber make use of routine background checks, both during the sign up process and periodically throughout employment. The closure of courthouses has prevented these background checks from occurring in a timely manner, causing Lyft and Uber to suspend their drivers with little to no warning until their background check is complete. While a few months of suspension from ridesharing may sound like nothing more than a minor inconvenience, it has proven to be a major source of fear and anxiety for those who rely on ridesharing as a prime source of income.

Lauren Casey of Gig Workers Rising, an advocacy group fighting for employment benefits for gig workers, said of companies such as Lyft and Uber, “For months these companies have made it difficult for drivers to access unemployment insurance, and now at a time when many are left with no choice but to get back on the road, this roadblock is another kick in the teeth for frontline workers.” 

What makes this development more frustrating is the fact that many of these workers are simply waiting for yearly renewals of their records, and do not have any past convictions at all, meaning that regardless of criminal record, every rideshare worker is struggling to earn a living wage and collect unemployment benefits. 

If you, or anyone you know, struggles with earning a living due to past convictions, contact the experts at Easy Expunctions. We’ll get you started with a free background check to determine your eligibility, explain your options, and get you on the way to a clean slate. 

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Employment

5 Job Fields That Are Difficult to Pursue With a Criminal Record

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If you have an arrest or conviction, you know that a background check can be a very significant barrier to gaining employment. Getting back into the workforce is hard when employers discriminate against those who have had run-ins with the law. While it isn’t necessarily illegal to work in these fields with a conviction, you can be barred if the crime is related to the job. The following industries will be particularly hard to get into if you’re carrying around a criminal record:

1.     Child Care/Teaching

A criminal conviction will probably bar you from any teaching job, especially if your offense involves violence. People are understandably picky about who they allow to watch their children, so employers will be on the lookout for anyone with a questionable history.  

2.     Law Enforcement

Government jobs always come with a lengthy screening process. Regardless of what level you’re trying for; you’ll need a clean record to get started in law enforcement. You definitely can’t work in security or law enforcement jobs that require you carry a weapon if you have any offense related to firearms.

3.     Finance

If there’s any whiff of theft or fraud on your background, banks or investment firms will almost certainly deny you for work. Any crimes involving money will also come up as a red flag and prevent you from getting your foot in the door within this industry.

4.     Health Care

The health care industry will often pass up on potential employees with certain convictions. They do this on the basis that healthcare jobs give you access to all kinds of sensitive information. It also exposes employees to drugs and pharmaceuticals, so anyone with a theft or drug abuse charge will likely be denied a position.

5.     Transportation

If you have a record for driving under the influence, it’ll be nearly impossible to secure a job that requires you to be behind the wheel often, or many positions in public transportation. You can’t drive for Uber or Lyft if they see a DUI on your background check.

If you feel that you’re a deserving candidate who has been denied one too many jobs, it might be time to consider what an expunction can do for your career. You don’t have to explore alternate career paths if you’re eligible for an expunction or non-disclosure—contact Easy Expunctions so we can help make your job hunt exponentially more successful. 

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Background Checks

City of Oakland Votes to Bar Landlords From Conducting Background Checks

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Big news came out of Oakland recently as the city unearthed a way to give ex-cons a better chance at finding housing after their release. The Fair Chance Housing Ordinance, which the City Council passed unanimously Tuesday evening, will forbid landlords from denying a potential tenant because of a prior criminal conviction. Oakland moved to become the first city in the state to ban landlords from investigating the criminal history of renters applying for both public and private housing. Landlords will not be permitted to ask about an applicant’s criminal history or require the applicant to disclose it through a background check. This is a huge deal because it allows those who have been incarcerated the ability to reintegrate back into society, hold down a job, and provide for their families, instead of adding to Oakland’s growing homeless population.

Of course, the question of safety is brought up—but it’s important to understand that it doesn’t take a violent crime to be denied housing. You can be denied housing for multiple non-violent offenses. Currently, background checks are a standard part of applying for rental housing, and applicants with a criminal record are oftentimes denied. That can make it nearly impossible for those who have been incarcerated to find a place to live, especially in the Bay Area’s ruthless housing market. Some exemptions of the Fair Chance Housing Ordinance are single-family homes, duplexes, triplexes and in-law units if the owner is living on the property. There is also a partial exemption for owners of government-subsidized affordable housing, including Section 8 units, allowing them to continue to use criminal background checks to the extent needed to comply with federal law. Apart from the exemptions, landlords will still have access to potential tenants’ credit reports, references and employment information, all the things they truly need to see if they’d make a suitable tenant.

A criminal record can prevent those who have been incarcerated or charged with a crime from finding housing, which makes it that much more difficult to reintegrate back into society. The system is at war with those in the system and Oakland has made an amazing change to its policy. The Fair Chance Housing Ordinance will give ex-cons the housing opportunity they currently lack after incarceration and help reduce Oakland’s homeless population. Hopefully, it won’t be long until more cities follow behind Oakland. But for now, your criminal record will likely continue to hold you back in the housing department. At Easy Expunctions, we offer free background checks so that you know exactly what’s currently on your record. We also work directly with you to expunge qualifying charges so you can have a clean record and a better life. Visit www.easyexpunctions.com to explore our affordable packages that can help you ace all of your background checks.

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Background Checks

Nebraska Daycare Providers Struggling With New Background Check Laws

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If there’s one thing everyone agrees on, it’s that those put in charge of looking after children must be held to a higher standard and undergo thorough background checks. However, at what point do background checks start to do more harm than good? Nebraska is facing this issue now, as a new state law requiring child care employees to undergo an additional federal background check is beginning to create problems for daycare providers.

To clarify, the problem isn’t the background check—it’s the long waiting period that can take up to a month that is making potential employees reconsider the job. The new process has many noting the strict guidelines as redundant and counterproductive. The applicants must submit the background check application, pay a $45 fine to the Nebraska State Patrol, and get their fingerprints taken. On top of that, they must undergo the check once every five years once employed. This is more than enough to sway people towards a different job path with a less invasive hiring process.

Again, we do not argue that background checks for those in charge of children are important. But whether they are properly handled is the question at hand. Many potential employees can’t afford the fees, and can’t afford to wait a month to maybe get the job. Some daycares are paying the fee for their employees and potential employees for now, but budgetary problems are sure to arise. It is said that the new background checks allow the state to continue using federal funds to help strengthen Nebraska’s efforts to ensure the safety of children. Some daycares already do multiple background checks, so the federally mandated checks bring nothing new to the table—except a fee. Many daycare workers are more concerned about a potential criminal who has a clean record than missing something on a background check.

If you’re about to begin a job hunt but aren’t sure what lies on your record, check out Easy Expunctions. We can help wipe away an old misdemeanor charge from your record if the charge qualifies. Visit www.easyexpunctions.com for a free record check to get you started on your journey to a clean record!

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Employment

What Are Employers Looking for When Conducting Background Checks?

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Background checks are an inevitable part of modern-day life, and depending on hiring standards, they can make or break your chances of employment. Hiring standards vary by employer and may be regulated by state or federal law. A background check simply screens an individual to test whether or not an applicant meets the hiring standards set by a particular employer. However, there are some general red flags that typically influence an application status at most levels of employment.

Approximately 96% of businesses perform background checks on candidates, and a vast majority of those employers use criminal record searches. Although background checks include current pending charges, misdemeanor convictions, felony convictions, acquitted charges, and dismissed charges, most employers consider the nature of the crime. In order to protect the employees, customers, and the company’s reputation, violent and sexual offenses are rarely swept under the rug, and most employers would consider these types of convictions red flags. However, 67% of employers say that they allow their applicants to explain their criminal history before completely ruling them out. If you are applying to jobs that require high security clearance or involve interaction with children or elderly people (including school bus driving) and your criminal record contains any major offense, evidence of mental health issues, sex offenses, or cyber crimes, you will be denied from the job. The employer is usually in favor of the applicant with a clean record.

A clear record empowers you. If your criminal record has prevented you from getting the job of your dreams, you should consider getting your record expunged or sealed from the public eye. Contact Easy Expunctions for more information on affordable record-clearing.

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Criminal Records

What All Is Included on a Criminal Record?

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Whether you’re seeking employment, applying for travel visas, or requesting bank loans, you’ll probably want to know what comes up during a background check. The information on your criminal record may include all arrests, convicted or not, as well as both felony and misdemeanor charges. Although the information included on an individual’s criminal record varies by state, all states allow you to view your criminal record to check for content and accuracy, and it’s important to know what typically appears on a criminal record.

Criminal records always include basic demographic information such as an individual’s full name, date of birth, known aliases, current and previous addresses, and arrest dates for felony and misdemeanor crimes. Arrests or convictions for violent crimes including rape, robbery, aggravated assault, sexual assault of a minor, physical abuse of a minor, simple assault (often involving domestic violence), and murder will be documented on an individual’s criminal record, and the possibility of expungement is highly unlikely. 

Almost all jurisdictions will have dangerous traffic crimes documented on an individual’s criminal record. Traffic crimes such as driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, reckless driving, driving with a suspended license, and driving without a license will almost always be included on a criminal record. Non-criminal traffic violations such as speeding tickets and parking citations are generally excluded from your criminal record.

Certain property crimes will also be included on a criminal record. A list of property crimes that will appear on a background check includes arson, forgery, vandalism, burglary, theft, fraud, embezzlement, shoplifting, destruction of property, and motor vehicle theft. More severe charges will appear on an individual’s record when the offense results in injury or death, and the value of the property damaged or stolen may also be included.

Other crimes such as possession of drugs, possession of drug paraphernalia, manufacture of drugs, possession of a controlled substance, and public intoxication will be included on a criminal record. Criminal acts such as disorderly conduct, vagrancy, and loitering are typically, but not always, included on an individual’s record. Civil judgments including lawsuits, creditor actions, and bankruptcy matters will not be included on a criminal record.

You may attempt to have your criminal record expunged. If you meet the criteria, certain crimes are permanently removed from your record. Call Easy Expunctions to discuss your eligibility and options!

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Background Checks

Interested in Driving for Uber or Lyft? Better Have a Clean Background Check!

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The creation of apps like Uber and Lyft has been a godsend for many. Rideshares allow you to get around town easily, quickly, and for less than a cab. They’re also a no-brainer for those who plan to go out and drink alcohol—no need to worry about risking driving under the influence or getting your car towed when you can get home safe and sound for a reasonable fee. 

Another major plus is that many Americans now have an additional source of income. Part-time and full-time workers can supplement their income with these wages from the comfort of their own car, simply by driving around their own cities. You’re your own boss, you pick your own hours, and you can cash out your earnings that day. The job seems to be a win-win all around. However, it’s important to know that as the final step of their signup process, Uber and Lyft require their drivers to consent to a full background check.

Most rideshare companies generally use a third party to conduct these searches, which include national and local databases. They’ll check your Motor Vehicle record as well as your criminal history. Local laws often dictate which specific criteria they apply to your background search, but here’s what they’ll likely deny drivers for:

  • Being on the National Sex Offender Registry
  • 1 serious driving-related conviction in the past seven years (basically any felony involving a vehicle)
  • 1 DUI/DWI or other drug-related driving violation in the past 7 years.
  • 1 single major moving violation in the past 3 years (reckless driving, driving with a suspended license, etc.)
  • 3+ minor moving violations in the past 3 years (accidents, traffic light violations, etc.)
  • A conviction for one of the following violent crimes: homicide, kidnapping, human trafficking, carjacking, aggravated assault, acts of terror, robbery, or property damage offenses.

In addition to these, there are other records and offenses that can make it harder for you to be eligible to drive for a rideshare. You should also know that Uber and Lyft conduct annual background checks, so if you get in trouble with the law while driving for them, they’ll probably find out about it.

If you’ve been considering becoming a driver for a rideshare company but think you could be denied because of your criminal record, reach out to Easy Expunctions. While not all of the above listed convictions can be expunged, many can. We will work with you to determine if you’re eligible to receive an expunction, which will legally remove the offense from official records and databases. Our goal is to give you the opportunity to pursue any job you want without the burden of a criminal history.
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