Advice on Pre-Employment checking with a criminal record

Valli

and you're asking total strangers, all of whom post under aliases, for advice pertaining to your career decisions?

usefulmale

If they get fixated on a minor, non-work-related incident 3 years ago, rather than your ability to do the job they have offered, they are probably not worth working for.

robatwork

usefulmale wrote: »

If they get fixated on a minor, non-work-related incident 3 years ago, rather than your ability to do the job they have offered, they are probably not worth working for.

Crazy.

If what pops up on their check is "conviction 2012" and no details, they could consider it was for violent assault, a sexual offence, or something that would greatly affect the job offer. How would they know it's minor?

Much better to front it up, tell them the truth, and deal with the consequences. One of which will be a clear conscience, the other may be a long career with them.

Gavin83

No_hit_Sherlock wrote: »

Yes the police did take people to court for posession, the laws have changed somewhat and nothing seems amiss here.

I think you'll find the laws have changed a lot earlier than 3 years ago. It must have been 10 years ago easily cannabis got downgraded to class C and they stopped prosecuting people for it. It got reclassified not that long ago but it still isn't the norm to take people to court.

A friend of mine got caught about 8 years ago and I got caught about 5 years ago and neither of us got more than a slap on the wrist.

usefulmale wrote: »

If they get fixated on a minor, non-work-related incident 3 years ago, rather than your ability to do the job they have offered, they are probably not worth working for.

It's a tough call and depends on what the HR department want to see. Having this on your record could be someone who smokes on the odd occasion and got unlucky right up to someone who is never sober. Even as someone who used to smoke regularly and still does on occasion I wouldn't want to hire a heavy smoker.

At the end of the day it won't do you any favours.

Gavin83

No_hit_Sherlock wrote: »

It is not a given that you will get a caution

http://www.release.org.uk/law/sentencing

also check CPS sentencing guidlines

I think that webpage is more a reference to harder drugs. There is a page specifically for cannabis here: http://www.release.org.uk/drugs/cannabis/law

It says on there a person being caught for the first time can receive a cannbis warning unless a list of criteria is met, to the point they advise contacting the site should this not be the case.

That was my experience. I received a warning which doesn't appear on my criminal record.

JDDamolsch

Hi guys

Thanks for the reply. I was pulled over for speeding and they searched me and found cannabis on me. I was summoned to court for both offences.

I have started at the job and everything is going well so far but it a probationary contract for the next few months and no one has mentioned anything related to the criminal record check. I am not going to ask around about this when things seem to be going well! I will keep you guys updated.

I just wanted to say that I made a very stupid mistake and it has led to me receiving a criminal conviction. It has somewhat limited my career opportunities as I work in a highly regulated environment. It will probably mean that I am going to have to wait several years (5 years before convictions are cleared as spent I believe) before I can apply for particular positions. I realise it was a very silly thing to do and I must pay the price, even though I do not agree with the law in itself and I think its completely over the top but thats a different issue. My advice would be to not bother messing around the law and if you are, be careful and don't act without thinking of the consequences!