Florida Criminal Background Can Affect Your Employment Opportunities - How Sealing / Expunging Your Criminal Record Can Help

St. Petersburg Criminal Attorney and Former State Prosecutor Melinda Morris of the Morris Law Firm discusses the how your criminal record can affect your future.

Issue:

Nearly 65 million Americans have criminal records stemming from an arrest or conviction according to a recent report by the National Employment Law Project.  A recent survey by the Society for Human Resources Management found that 90% of companies surveyed indicated that they conducted criminal background checks on prospective employees.  In many cases, a criminal background can disqualify an applicant from consideration.




Why This Matters To You:

In the past, employers had a much harder time uncovering an applicant’s Florida criminal background.  In many cases, time consuming and expensive manual court record searches were conducted, and oftentimes, a full criminal background search wasn’t run or required.  

Today, many Florida employers run a full criminal background search on prospective employees which is far easier than in the past.  The Internet along with hosts of screening companies that specialize in obtaining criminal background information have made the process simple and cost effective.  

Even small employers can easily access the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office (http://www.pcsoweb.com/pages/who_jail.html) or the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office (http://www.hcso.tampa.fl.us/PublicInquiry/ArrestInquiry) to see arrests and booking photos.  Furhter, both Pinellas (https://pubtitles.co.pinellas.fl.us/login/loginx.jsp?goto=/mainmenux.jsp) and Hillsborough (http://www.hillsclerk.com/publicweb/Search_Court_Records.aspx) County Clerk’s offices have online record searches of court records available to anyone willing to search.

Many employers won’t hire someone with a criminal background.  Further, there are no federal laws that prohibit discrimination against people with criminal records.

In addition to employment concerns, many Florida universities and colleges will not accept applicants with certain criminal histories.  As well, those with a criminal record are usually not eligible for federal loans or scholarships for college.

In many cases, your criminal record may be Sealed and/or Expunged by an experienced criminal attorney, with the following benefits:

1. Once the Sealing or Expungement of your Florida criminal record is granted by the Court, the charge will no longer be available as a public record.
2. Additionally, if you Seal or Expunge the Florida criminal record, you gain the legal right to deny or fail to acknowledge anything to do with the arrest and the legal proceedings from the case itself.
3. You can in most cases successfully pass a criminal background check.

What To Do Next:

Contact the Morris Law Firm to start the process of clearing your criminal record. The Morris Law Firm has experience in Sealing or Expunging your criminal records so they don’t appear on criminal background checks.

• No office visit required
• Flat fee for Sealing or Expunging your criminal record
• Simple Process

Sealing or expunging your criminal record is an investment in your future.


If you have a criminal record, contact a St. Petersburg Seal / Expunge Florida Criminal Records Attorney to discuss Sealing and/or Expunging eligibility that may exist in your case.  Call the Morris Law Firm at 727-388-4736 to discuss your case directly with an attorney, or fill out our Online Form to be contacted for a Free Initial Consultation.  The Morris Law Firm can help and has specific knowledge and experience in Sealing / Expunging Florida criminal records throughout Pinellas County and the entire Tampa Bay, FL Area (St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Tampa, Hillsborough, Pasco, Bradenton, Manatee, and Sarasota).

How to Improve Your Employment Opportunities If You Have a Criminal Record in Florida

St. Petersburg Criminal Attorney and Former State Prosecutor Melinda Morris of the Morris Law Firm discusses How to Improve Your Employment Opportunities if you have a Criminal Record.

Issue:

Given our current economic situation, and the looming possibility of a double-dip recession, it is already difficult to find employment.  While a job hunt can take a long time for those with a clean record, a recently published study in the Journal of Labor Economics’ July edition stated that job hunters with a criminal record can expect a search that lasts twice as long.  To add insult to injury, those with a criminal record can also expect to earn 20 to 30 percent less than those with a clean record.

Why This Matters To You:

In a tight job market, employers are already taking every opportunity to find only the best candidates.  Given the large pool of applicants for every job, employers often throw out candidates that may have any type of criminal record, no matter how minor.  This is doubly damaging as the same study shows that recidivism increases for those who remain unemployed.

The Morris Law Firm understands your struggle, and can work with you to have your criminal record Sealed and/or Expunged which can improve your ability to pass a background check during the job application process.  Further, if you successfully Seal or Expunge your Florida criminal record, you gain the legal right to deny or fail to acknowledge anything to do with the arrest and the legal proceedings from the case itself which is extremely important during the job application process.  As well, the Morris Law Firm can direct you to local job placement programs that help reduce the amount of time spent searching for suitable employment.

What To Do Next:

Contact the Morris Law Firm to start the process of clearing your criminal record.  The Morris Law Firm has experience in Sealing or Expunging your criminal records so they will not appear on criminal background checks.

• No office visit required.
• Flat fee for Sealing or Expunging your criminal record.
• Simple Process: Take the fingerprint card we send you and get fingerprinted at any local police station and; have two (2) documents we send you notarized.  Send the fingerprint card and the two documents back to us and the Morris Law Firm will take care of the rest.
• Sealing or expunging your criminal record is a low cost investment in your future, and may improve your employment opportunities.

If you have a criminal record in St. Petersburg or Clearwater, Pinellas County, or Tampa, Hillsborough County, or Bradenton, Manatee County, or Sarasota, Florida contact a St. Petersburg Sealing and Expunging Attorney.  Call the Morris Law Firm at 727-388-4736 to discuss your case directly with an attorney.