The average person is well aware of how many businesses conduct background checks before hiring a new employee. Occasionally, people assume that if they maintain their current employment, a minor criminal conviction won’t have as much of an impact on their professional future. People might stay with the same company for years, foregoing other opportunities, in the hopes that a conviction won’t impact their career trajectory.
While that approach may work in some cases, it’s not a solution that will work for everyone. Quite a few employers routinely perform background checks when considering people for promotions or when conducting performance reviews that may have an impact on someone’s wages and employment stability. A criminal record may not cost someone their job in that situation, but it could hold them back from a promotion.
For those with recent criminal convictions that were not disclosed and/or incurred at the time of their hiring, background checks could prove problematic. Thus, vacating a prior offense might help someone secure a promotion and protect their position at a company.
Some people become eligible to seal certain criminal records
Washington state has several second chance laws that allow those with certain criminal infractions on their records to seal those records. In some cases, they can even go to court to vacate their prior conviction. This process can make it seem as though someone does not have a criminal conviction on their record.
If someone has learned their lesson and avoided additional criminal charges, they can potentially make use of Washington state statutes that allow them a chance to rebuild their lives and move on from that prior mistake. Learning more about how to address a criminal record in Washington state may empower hard-working people to protect their careers after a brush with the criminal justice system that proved to be a “one and done” misstep not to be repeated.