Employers & Criminal Background Checks
Can I keep an employer from
seeing my felony conviction in Utah?
Being convicted of a felony in Utah can dramatically affect your
ability to get or keep a job. More and more employers are
doing background checks as part of their pre-employment screening
practices. Even if you already have a job, your employer may
choose to fire you if it is discovered that you have been convicted of
a felony. Speaking with an experienced
Utah
criminal defense attorney before deciding how to handle your
criminal case is vital to protecting your rights your future employment
prospects.
In Utah, adult criminal convictions are considered a matter of public
record, and your employer will be able to find out about a felony
conviction as part of a criminal background investigation.
While you can't keep your employer from finding out about
your criminal record in Utah, there are steps you can take to actually
change what is on your criminal record.
Utah law provides a way to reduce a felony conviction to a
misdemeanor. Under Utah Code Ann. 76-3-402, a person who has
successfully completed probation can petition the court to reduce a
charge by up to two steps. For most felonies, this will
reduce the charge to a misdemeanor. This process is often
called a "
402
reduction."
Utah law also allows most criminal convictions, charges, and even
arrests to be completely expunged from your criminal record.
You must meet certain qualifications relating to the number
of convictions on your record and the length of time since the last
criminal incident. But if you meet the requirements for
expungement
in Utah, you may petition the court to have your record
expunged.
Getting and keeping a job is just one of the many areas of your life
that a criminal conviction can affect. In Utah, the
consequences of even a
minor criminal conviction can be severe. If you are facing
criminal prosecution in Utah, an experienced criminal defense attorney
can help give you the best chance of obtaining a favorable outcome.
Utah criminal defense
attorney Stephen Howard has successfully defended thousands
of serious criminal cases during his career. His
track record speaks for
itself.
Contact us today to
schedule an initial consultation with
Salt
Lake City defense attorney Stephen Howard.

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