When someone is convicted of reckless driving in California, one of their topmost concerns is how the charge might affect their ability to get employed. Will the charge reflect on your record? Will your prospective employers be able to see it? If they do, will it affect your employability? Can a reckless driving charge keep me from getting a job?
Contact El Dabe Ritter Trial Lawyers today to speak to one of our Los Angeles Car Accident Attorneys if you have been injured in a reckless driving accident.
Will Reckless Driving Show Up On Your Record?
In most cases, reckless driving is usually charged as a misdemeanor offense in California, which is a criminal charge. In extreme situations, it may also be treated as a felony. Regardless of how it is charged, however, a reckless driving charge will show up on your record.
Because reckless driving charges go on your record, a potential employer will see it if they decide to run a background check on you. You must also disclose your charges if they ask you about your record. Simply put, your reckless driving charge will be visible to all your employers.
Once you have been convicted of reckless charging, there is little you can do to get the crime expunged from your record. This is unless you can prove you were wrongfully convicted.
How Will It Affect Your Job Prospects?
Employers take the hiring process seriously, and it is almost routine to perform a background check on potential employees and question them about their records. Under California law, it is also completely legal for an employer to factor in your reckless driving charge when considering whether to hire you. Doing so is considered standard procedure and not discrimination.
That said, a reckless driving charge may or may not hinder your employment prospects. This is because some employers, such as those that work with children, maybe more sensitive about such an offense than others. A reckless driving charge will also likely be a concern in a job that requires you to drive a company vehicle.
The good news is, a reckless driving charge, especially a minor one, will usually not prevent you from gaining employment; it just makes it a little difficult. The law also offers you some protection, and you may try to get the crime expunged from your record.
The Ban-the-Box Law
The ban-the-box law is recently-implemented legislation in California that makes it illegal for employers to ask about a candidate’s criminal history until the later stages of the application process. It is designed to encourage employers to focus on the candidate’s competency and qualification instead of immediately denying employment.
Contact a Car Accident Attorney
Can reckless driving charges keep you from getting a job? As with all criminal charges, your reckless driving charge will show up on your criminal record, which means potential employees will see it. This does not mean, however, that you will be unemployable.
El Dabe Ritter Trial Lawyers is a leading personal injury law firm, and our Los Angeles Car Accident Attorneys are dedicated to helping you receive the compensation you deserve. If you have been injured in a reckless driving accident, contact us online or by phone at 213-985-1120 to schedule a consultation.