Sober_John

In his 2004 State of the Union address, President Bush correctly stated: ‘‘We know from long experience that if [former prisoners] can’t find work, or a home, or help, they are much more likely to commit more crimes and return to prison. . . .
America is the land of the second chance, and when the gates of the prison open, the path ahead should lead to a better life.

HR 4676 IH

In my 9yrs clean I have taken hundreds of preemployment drug test passed everone . But the fact is Company's don't like "serious offenders" they put it on alot of aplication don't applie if you got a DUI. Some don't and when they see that I put it down they say sorry your to much of a risk or if they do hire me and thier INS. CO. see my DUI they say well your a drug addict and to stay employed you need treament. To prove my point again I have been with a Co. for awhile and Co. policy says if you have a accident you must take a drug test. Well I had one and only accident but, not only drug tested but I had to take a breathelizer well I passed both but lost my job again. The INS. Co says you are to much of a risk. There are people at work not as long as me there who have many accidents and still there???
Please sign my Petition.
http://www.petitiononline.com/dui10yrs/petition.html
I am trying to make a honest liveing. But my DUI is on Credit report, driving history and rap sheet as "serious offender" for life becuase of CT. laws and no I can't move to another state every state has DUI agreement.

Music

Well, to put in bluntly, you are a risk. The law is the way it is for a reason. Companies and insurance companies learned their lesson. Over the past 20 years or so, people have been given chance after chance by being sent to treatment, given warning after warning at work and still, insisted on doing things that have put you in the position you're in. So, deal with it the best you can. Do what you have to do to make it. Just don't drink over it. Don't blame the law. Blame the people who made it necessary to make the law.

emmanuel2012

sounds like your employer was fishing for a reason to fire you, and saw your accident, although not connected to alcohol or drugs, as the perfect way to dump you. sound like they didn't think you were a risk as much as someone they just couldnt relate to. it happens often. i don't think its fair, but i also don't agree with laws that give any incentives for people to hire or fire based on race, gender, creed, religion sexual orientation or lack of religion. to suggest we should add "behavoiral problem" to the list, that's not realistic.

i'm not an employer now, but i'm sort of selfemployed and if i hired people, i would certainly want to ask if they've been convicted of a felony, what kind and what they have done or had to do about it. if the potential employeee shows remorse and a new way of thinking about it thats humble enough, it shouldnt affect my decision. i wouldn't mind helping someone retain employment out of jail IF i felt they were honestly trying to live a better life, but certianly not if they were an axemurder or a rapist. for heavens sake, just one DUI isn't much of a crime as it is a mistake, and should normally be forgiven.

i am grateful not to ever be convicted of a "felony" but i have been convicted of a shitload of misdemeanors in my time. none of them should mean much to an employer, and i usually don't apply for work at places that are gonna care about petty offenses. i guess it would be a good practice for employers to simply ask, "have you been convicted of a felony" not "have you ever been convicted of a crime" because there is a shitload of difference. in some states, they have made DUIs an actual felony, how many i don't know; which is stupid, maybe the thrid or 4th one should be a felony, not the first one.

in my opinion, the governement shouldn't make any laws about restricting employers from who they should and should not hire... that once again puts too much power in the government, and not enough in the company. its their friggin company, let them hire or fire who they want.

have you ever signed an "employment at will" agreement? when you sign it, you are allowing the employer to terminate employment for any reason whatsoever. that means if you sign it and the boss wants to have sex with you and you don't and he fires you, you can still sue for sexual harrasment, but you can't get your job back. why you would want to is another question entirely, but he legally fired you "for any reason whatsoever," in the contract. did you sign one of those at your previous job?

fuguestate

Bar the issue of committing a crime while under the influence, do laws like this discourage people from seeking treatment before they commit a crime?

I raised this issue at my place of employment when i was asked to take a pre-employment medical before i could start my job. I refused on the grounds that it was discrimination to refuse someone a job based on a medical. What could possibly turn up in a medical that can prevent you from taking up a job in academia? Police checks will pick up on any criminal behaviour that would endanger students. But, technically, the disability laws in the UK protect those who are already in a job, not those who apply for one (even being drunk or high at work and getting caught won't get you fired unless you do it 3 times or refuse treatment). My real reasons for not taking a pre-employment medical was that i have scars on my body from self-harm from my early 20s, around the time that I was drinking heavily. I don't do it now but I was concerned that I would be denied a job because of it and I really didn;t want to have to explain it to the doctor or for my future employers to know (and academics are the biggest bunch of gossips on earth and don't know the meaning of confidential). What I learned from this was never go to your doctor about anything remotely related to mental health otherwise it comes back to bite you on the ass. I'm sure that was never meant to be the intention of pre-empolyment medicals

laurie6781

Early in my sobriety I went to work as a temporary employee at Hughes Missile Systems in Canoga Park. They liked my work and the head of the Maverick Division offered me a permanent job.

Well you have to go through a security clearance, and boy did I sweat that one. For the work I was hired to do, I needed to have a "Secret" clearance. This was 1981. I was so worried knew I wasn't gonna get it, yadda yadda yadda. They had told me that it might take up to 6 months and in the meantime with the preliminary check I had a "confidential."

Well I had been there all of 8 weeks and got called down to the Security Office. I knew, just knew, I was going to be told that I would not receive the "secret" clearance. roflmao.

I get down there, the head of security calls me into his office and says "why didn't you mention you were married to Air force Intellegence until 1976?" I just shook my head. He said "come on lets get your picture taken." We went to the picture room, he took my picture, told me to have a seat he would be back in a few minutes.
He came back and handed me my Hughes security clearance badge. "Top Secret"

roflmao they only had to check from 1976 to 1981 and at that time "Top Secret" which is what I had had married to Donald was still a viable clearance. Now a days it is much much harder to get.

I went back upstairs and showed my boss and he almost had a heart attack. Could not figure out how I got it so quick.

The point to all this is what I learned from that experience. If an employer is putting road blocks in my way, then it is probably not the job for me. I must also check "me" to see what kind of attitude I have and what I am "putting forth."

I switched careers at 6 yrs sober and had a wonderful employment life.

I believe that 90% of the jobs I have been offered have been because of my ATTITUDE and my experience.

When an actual harm has been done to us, we do have the legal means to correct it, but that too takes "footwork."

I truly believe that when one door closes another opens, if I am doing the footwork.

The wreckage of my past, is today far outshadowed by almost 25 years of living the 12 steps of sobriety.

JMHO

Love and (((((to all))))),

elizabeth1979

Unemployable,
I work in the insurance business. A companys workers comp requires breathalizers and drug tests after any accident of any employee, more than likely.
This appears to me to be exactly what Music said.
They were looking for a reason.

Sober_John

I thank you all for the words of encouragement. I will keep trying and won't do the proverbial drown my sorrows.

CarolD

I thought I had posted this for you before...sorry

Jobs
http://www.craigslist.com/

I hope this helps...

Sober_John

Any and all help is greatly appreciated. Thank you

CAPTAINZING2000

What's the nature of your offence? There are ways of getting things off your record. Might involve greasing some palms.

I agree with you. You don't want your kids hanging with a friend that just got out of prison in a lot of cases. You're not supposed to hang with other felons but, if the society as a whole doesn't want anything to do with you hmmmmm


You know, you're serving as a warning to anyone that doesn't think this **** is serious and gives getting clean and sober all their 100%

What ever you do, don't prove them right. Do you know a good pastor to talk this over with? By the Grace of God, I'm where I am today. I've never been convicted of a felony but, I've sure had enough drunken arrests

Sober_John

Well I had to many drinks and made the mistake of getting behind the wheel. There was no crash there was a few words said back and forth to the officer so it blew way out context. I went to court even though I have no other crimes the officer and "MADD" where there well with all that was against me I lost the case big time. As you know DMV had to give me a suspended license also and shows two suspentions for DUI unless you are a lawyer or DMV to deciefer it looks like multible DUI when in fact I have one and only. I was made to sit though some bad videos everyone keeps saying you could of killed someone and in my case that did not happen. I never denied the fact I had to many drinks then and other times before. As I stated before it is on my credit history yes they can do that it says mutible DUI it states big letters red ink SERIOUS OFFENDER. CT. DMV is Req. to maintian for ten years after last date of suspention and the courts are req to maintain for life. I made a mistake and still paying for it.

Pick-a-name

I am sorry you are having a problem.

Perhaps it is the nature of the job and how it is related to this.

Perhaps it is a mental attitude that is more the problem. Seems fighting with the officer got you in bigger trouble; maybe that is an attitude in the workplace.......just a consideration.

Also, I would suggest that you might re-address the attitude about "forced to sit through bad videos" when you did not kill anyone...........luckily. I think the point here was for you to start getting the idea that you very easily could have, and may yet do so. Actually, eventually someone WILL get hurt or worse.

As for "just one DUI"...........hard as it is to believe, MOST people in this world NEVER get even one DUI. It just does not happen to most adults who are not alcoholics. Period.

I am sorry if I sound harsh. That is not my intention. I just think that there ARE serious consequences in life for alcoholics who are not in treatment. Unlike lots of other diseases, the actions of an active addict can and does effect many other innocent lives,too.

I wish you the best of luck, and I hope that very soon you are able to find a job that is also more comfortable for you,too.

I am glad you posted this. I am sure that is very helpful on many levels; sorry you having these problems.

Sober_John

Would it be better if I did not admit my problem and kept on drinking? I did the crime paid my time. The facts are it is getting worse more deaths and more repeat offenders. They are drowning thier sorrows. ‘‘We know from long experience that if [former prisoners] can’t find work, or a home, or help, they are much more likely to commit more crimes and return to prison." I have been homeless, Unemployed, no wife or girlfriend. I am not saying to let people with a DUI go free, just change is needed what I don't know open for sugestions.

Sober_John

Several lawsuits and consumer complaints in the last few years have accused ChoicePoint of providing inaccurate and out-of-date information in its criminal background reports, resulting in unfair job losses for applicants.
Even though a federal law requires consumer reporting agencies
Under Section 613 of the Fair Credit Reporting Act, or FCRA, consumer reporting agencies that use public records -- such as criminal arrest and conviction records -- to conduct background checks must "maintain strict procedures"

National Association of Professional Background Screeners (NAPBS)
Contact Information

NAPBS
P.O. Box 3159
Durham, NC 27715-3159
ph. 919.433.0123
ph. 888.686.2727
fx. 919.383.0035
[email protected]


Found this on the WWW.
Maby helpful?

I also found this?
NAPBS Founding Member
ChoicePoint Services Inc.

tramp

the whole penal system is based on the premise that you are incarcarated to pay your debt to society. if it doesn't pay the debt then lets go back to the medeivil system of fines and do away with prison altogether.
i agree with unemployable?, i did my time. society needs to get over it.
i am better off working .
my family wont do without regardless. though most civilians and criminals whine about the law, the cold truth is it keeps people like me from owning everything you have.

Sober_John

ALAN I. LESHNER

Addiction Is a Brain Disease

Greater progress will be made against drug abuse when our strategies reflect the full complexities of the latest scientific understanding.

The United States is stuck in its drug abuse metaphors and in polarized arguments about them. Everyone has an opinion. One side insists that we must control supply, the other that we must reduce demand. People see addiction as either a disease or as a failure of will. None of this bumpersticker analysis moves us forward. The truth is that we will make progress in dealing with drug issues only when our national discourse and our strategies are as complex and comprehensive as the problem itself.

Addiction is a Brain Disease and should be treated as such

inlandza

Hi to you
It seams to me that you are not on a program and if you are you are not working it!!
AA & NA are to of the best recovery programs in the world but only if you work them and if you are working them you will see that you will find work and be able to grow into the man you want to be and not the con you are!!
Rob Mcc

Sober_John

Please don't bash someone when there down instead help them up. I might of missed something and I need help, direction and words of encouragement.

Music

Ok, here goes. The next time you decide to take a drink, don't drive.

AndrewBeen

I guess what it comes down to is whether in the case if a person with a disease (alcoholism) whose disease is in clear remission (long term recovery through active and successful participation in a recovery program) should be considered a protected class in employment situations and therfore make it illegal for a person to be denied employment on the basis of having that disease.

What is significant is not the presense of the disease but rather the degree to which the disease is made manifest in behavior and judgement. In your case the disease HAS expressed itself in your behavior: via drinking, driving while drunk, and fighting with cops. It is this behavior and lack of judgement that is making employers back off.

You may say you are in remission and it is all moot at this point and your past behavior record should not be relevant in the employment situation. Unfortunately past will always be relevant as it is the best indication of future behavior.

Here's an analogy: let's say I have a past history of fighting with coworkers and getting fired because of it. Let's say it was determined that I had ADD and was bi-polar and that these were now in check through therapy and drugs. Doesn't matter--to an employer we are a higher risk.

All is not lost: we can still find employers that will stand behind us. But we have to prove our value to them. We have to be more capable, more loyal, more skilled, and just more vital to them than collegues without these issues. These are the facts we have to work with, and we have to do whatever it takes to make it work. We can get there but we have to prove it to everyone around us.

Part of getting well is being honest with ourselves and taking responsibility for behaviors past present and future.

I do not think that it is the job of the state of CT or of the US to protect us. We have to climb out of the whole that we made of our lives.