Will a failure to yield to emergency vehicle charge hurt my job prospects?
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Will a failure to yield to emergency vehicle charge hurt my job prospects?
Back in 2010 in Ohio I was cited for
failure to yield emergency vehicle. I
went to court and was found guilty and
paid a fine. I recently ran a
background check on myself and this
charge showed up. Its listed as a minor
misdemeanor even though its categorized
as a traffic violation. I had no idea
traffic violations show up on
background checks. My question is will
this traffic violation prevent me from
getting a job?
Asked on February 9, 2017 under General Practice, Ohio
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 7 years ago | Contributor
It could, but does not have to. Employers are not required to look at criminal backgrounds at all, and if they do, are not required to treat any crime, including particularly non-drug, non-violent, non-fraud misdemeanors, as a bar to employment. But while they are not required to consider your background or hold it against you, they are allowed to do so if they choose. Because employment in this country is employment at will, an employer may choose to not offer someone a job for any reason not specifically prohibited by law (e.g. they can't refuse to hire you due to your race, sex, or religion), and there is no law prohibiting the use of criminal background checks or refusing to hire someone due to a misdemeanor (or even a traffic violation).
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