A New Tool is Helping Californians Clear Criminal Records for Employment

A New Tool is Helping Californians Clear Criminal Records for Employment A New Tool is Helping Californians Clear Criminal Records for Employment Having a checkered past can be problematic for job seekers, since it can prevent them from applying for jobs that they really want. In fact, one in four people in the U.S. has an arrest history or conviction that could penalize them from getting gainful employment or being eligible for student loans or housing. Thankfully, there’s a new tool that can help low-level convictions be eliminated or reclassified as a lesser charge for California residents. Clear My Record allows users to clear criminal records in multiple counties across their state. This is critical, since an estimated 43% of people who have used Clear My Record have multiple convictions in various counties. With this free tool, applicants can fill out a quick application that is then sent to the counties where they have convictions. They’ll then receive status updates via email and text regarding their eligibility to have their convictions overturned. The tool has been useful for people to clear various convictions (such as marijuana convictions, for example) to be cleared or reclassified as a lesser charge.  Similarly, states including Colorado, Maryland, New Hampshire, and Oregon, for example, have also passed legislation that allows people convicted of things like misdemeanor marijuana possession to petition to have their convictions sealed or dismissed. If you’re job hunting, you may want to find out if you can clear criminal records. Here’s why: It can give you peace of mind. If you have a criminal record, you might be worried every time you submit a job application that your background will be discovered. Making an effort to clear your record means that you can breathe a sigh of relief each time you apply for a job, knowing that a potential employer won’t find anything errant in your application. Your charge might not be valid anymore. Much like the marijuana convictions cited above, some charges are no longer considered criminal. So why should your record reflect as much? Laws change all the time, so doing a little investigative digging into what counts as a charge- and what doesn’t- might allow you to wipe your record clean, once and for all. It can allow you to apply for more jobs. The vast majority of employers will perform a background check on job candidates that they’re interested in. While employers aren’t technically allowed to discriminate against applicants who have a record, some still do. (If you feel that you’ve been discriminated against, you can always contact the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to find out what your next steps should be.) And unfortunately, having a criminal record might mean that you could lose out on jobs that you’re interested in, and not be able to apply for other positions or licenses, either. So if you’re a job seeker who has a criminal record, make it a priority to inform yourself of the latest laws concerning your conviction. You might be surprised that you can clear criminal records and apply for the jobs you really want.