March 21, 2011 - Getting a Job with a Felony Conviction in
Utah
Finding a job in today's economy can be tough, even without a criminal
record. But if you have been branded as a "convicted felon,"
finding employment can seem impossible. If you are having
difficulty finding work as a result of your criminal record, a criminal
defense attorney can help.
Many
employers are very concerned with the backgrounds of people they intend
to hire. For many jobs, you may be subject to a
criminal
background check. Even if the employer doesn't run a formal
background check, many employment applications ask about your criminal
record. If you leave information out of the application that
later comes to light, you can be in real trouble.
Although
there are many employers who will automatically disqualify a potential
job candidate based on a criminal record, there are employers out there
who will hire people with criminal records. But even with
those
employers, if the decision comes down to two equally qualified
candidates, one with a felony conviction and one without . . . it is
fairly easy to predict who will get the job.
There are
potential solutions to this problem that many people overlook.
With the help of a Utah criminal defense attorney, you may be
able to clean up your record.
An
expungement
gives you the chance to wipe a conviction off your record.
Once
your record is expunged, you can answer most job applications as though
the conviction never happened.
Unfortunately, expungements
have become harder to obtain as the Utah legislature has tightened the
requirements for eligibility. But even if you are not
eligible
for an expungement, there may still be a way to remove a felony
conviction from your record.
More often overlooked is the option of having an old conviction
reduced. A
Utah
"402" reduction
gives a person who has successfully completed probation the chance to
have the level of their conviction reduced. This can bring a
felony conviction down to a misdemeanor level, and can allow you to
honestly answer "no" when asked if you have been convicted of a felony.
In
today's job market, you need every advantage you can get.
Don't
let your criminal record hold you back if you are eligible to have it
expunged or reduced.
This blog is the work of Utah
criminal
defense lawyer Stephen W. Howard. It is not
intended to be
legal advice, and the information contained herein may not be
applicable to your particular factual or legal situation. If
you have been accused of criminal conduct, you should contact an
attorney as soon as possible to discuss the best way to handle your
case.

Jail time, prison time, thousands of dollars in fines, and the lifetime collateral consequences of having a criminal conviction on your record - all of these and more are at stake when you are facing criminal prosecution in Utah. Understanding what is at risk is critical. Even so-called "minor" misdemeanor cases can have serious consequences....
Consequences
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