Background Check w/ Misdemeanors

Hello, so I have recently accepted a position with a big four accounting firm as an intern and I have yet to undergo a background check. Problem is I have two plead no contests to underage consumption and one underage consumption that has been dismissed. The two no contests happened back in 2013 and the dismissed charge happened in early 2015 but was dismissed because I was not even drinking. The two charges are currently being expunged but I am worried my offer will be rescinded. All citations happened in a different state than were I currently live and where the job is located. Also, should I write about the charge that was dismissed on the background check or will it not show up? I am honestly scared my offer will be rescinded and have not been able to focus on anything at all lately.

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Best Response

I'm in somewhat of a similar situation as you. I spoke with some of my friends and the professor that I'm closest with at school, and they all said charges like underage drinking and disorderly conduct aren't that big of a deal. Companies, more or less, look more for crimes of honesty like stealing or theft as well as other serious crimes.

My professor said that when he was working in the industry for a BB, there were guys he worked with who had DUIs and such. I was thinking of bringing it up to HR right now after I accepted my offer, but my friend (who was in a similar situation when he accepted his BB offer) and my professor told me that it's only a big deal if I treat it like a big deal - that I should just bring it up and explain about it calmly if it does end up getting brought up by HR.

 

It's definitely a summary charge in the states I've lived in and I would be shocked if it stopped you from passing a background check. It would have to be a hilariously prudish company to deny a kid a job for drinking underage.

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You coulda searched for this and/or posted in the correct forum.

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I searched through all the background check posts (I know theres a ton of them and they must get annoying) and there were none about this specific charge. I think I'm the only person who gets a misdemeanor for something as retarded as this. Sorry if its the wrong forum

 

Did they actually get a misdemeanor conviction? If so, you need to look into having it expunged.

Men are so simple and so much inclined to obey immediate needs that a deceiver will never lack victims for his deceptions. -Niccolo Machiavelli
 

It'll be fine. Have a similar (level) misdemeanor and it's never effected anything.

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Your not applying to the FBI. Any other company is probably looking for embezzlement, larceny, etc. They are concerned about theft and similar crimes.

Just don't lie about having it.

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David_PuddyYour not applying to the FBI. Any other company is probably looking for embezzlement, larceny, etc. They are concerned about theft and similar crimes.

Just don't lie about having it.

If there's no visible public record of it, lie away. Except, when dealing with the FBI, because I'm pretty sure that's a felony.

Men are so simple and so much inclined to obey immediate needs that a deceiver will never lack victims for his deceptions. -Niccolo Machiavelli
 

I was under the impression, that if it is expunged and/or not a conviction, it doesn't show up on your record. FINRA does use an FBI background check, but I was under the impression that certain information is sealed to all commercial organizations, when your record gets expunged, or the case did not result in a conviction.

I know that in NYS, if you are a youthful offender, you're usually placed on ACOD, and it's like the arrest never happened. But, that's sort of irrelevant to this situation.

Men are so simple and so much inclined to obey immediate needs that a deceiver will never lack victims for his deceptions. -Niccolo Machiavelli
 

forget about it. there's nothing you can do about it. just concentrate on your ECs and getting your GPA up.

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I wouldn't waste my time applying to BB's now if I were you. They simply spend a large amount of time on background checks. Start at a small place and build your credibility. Even our President was involved with drugs during his early ages so you do have some ray of hope.

 

If it is getting expunged, you have nothing to worry about. Excluding of course if you intend to work with any government related agency, in which it is possible (not guaranteed) that they have access to any expunged/sealed records. It is not completely off your record, but legally you are NOT required to say you were arrested/convicted on any job applications. It is never completely gone, but any public record searches will show up empty. Even some basic government agencies will not notice it.

 

Sorry to hear your pharmacist career came to a halt and your banking career came down with it. Jk. In all honesty I hate to break it to you. You will not get the job if you apply now. Talk to a lawyer and get it expunged; once the expungement goes trhu then apply.

Good luck, expungements take up to 2 years sometime depending on the state it happened.

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