Can a "felon" get a break?

In my experience if you beat enought doors and you tell them the truth within there applications (explian no more no less) rules and hold nothing back,even to little detail you have a shot with being a felon. as someone stated ,Canada has a stick up its ### on felonsfrom the USA, in Cananda our Misdemeanors are there equiv to a felony ,and there Felonies are well you get the point. I think whats worse is when a company gives you a bad rap on your DAC thats what hurts the most. SWIFT put on mine a refusal. I fought it with DAC (USIS) SWIFT never replied so its now supressed whatever that means to DAC. As to me its still asked on an application. so IF its not supposed to be on the DAC and a company calls SWIFT and tells them what happened ( in there words and not mine) then Im lying. so to me a so called called bad rap on your DAC thats not supposed to be there can be more harmful than being a felon trying to look for a job.. which I am a felon from NY. I've had jobs with a couple big companies only SWIFT was the one that screwed me. so if anyone knows the real answer to the DAC thing please tell me . I also went and seen a SAP before I knew if was supressed from my DAC record....respectfully

 

Good advice! I received my first state prison term in 1971 and didn't learn my lesson until my last term received in 1989. So, I speak from long experience on previous convictions. To be honest, I see drivers, as you point out yourself, who have had far more problems with bad DAC reports than I ever had with my felonies.

To paradimethyl, I'd like to offer a strategy that has always worked well for me in the past and one I still employ to this day: If on your application you answered 'Yes' to previous felony convictions; then take the initiative and put the a positive spin to your past. You want to come away from an interview (whether in person, or on the phone with a recruiter) leaving your prospective employer with the belief that, "Yeah, the guy made a mistake; but, he was honest and forthcoming about it." This is what my opening statement would be like after introductions. Let say I am you (you don't have as much crap to deal with as myself). I'd say, "Hi, my name is John Doe. I am an experienced driver with a good driving record. I am a veteran, with 20 yrs service, and an Honorable Discharge. On my application you'll see that I have a felony conviction. I don't want to waste your time. I would like to address this matter now; not to make excuses, or limit my culpability; but, to give you the opportunity to evaluate the gravity of the offense and make an early determination regarding my suitability for the position I am applying." Now, either you get the opportunity to tell them why you would be a good fit; or, you wish each other a, "Have a nice day!"; and, get on about the business of finding the right company for you.

Now, this works for me and I am comfortable with it. I feel that it's 'taking the bull by the horns." After all, I don't want to go through a long application process, only to have them say, "Well, everything looks fine; but, this felony is really a problem." I want to get it out of the way and behind me. Also, I don't want to be perceived as someone who is trying to evade responsibility; hoping the interviewer 'won't notice' my felony. Anyway, that's what I feel works for me. You have to do what's right for you. Just remember: I'm an ex-con with a long history of serving time; you're an ex-serviceman with a long history of serving your country. If I can make it in this industry; then you're a cinch. So, don't make any more of this than it really is---a bump in the road! So, good luck!

 

I'm not posting this to ruffle the feathers of the OP, but this is just my 2 cents worth.

It annoys me when someone who is convicted of a felony or some other 'serious' charge starts complaining how they aren't given a fair shake. Cry about how everyone looks at their past, and says how they've done their time, etc.

Sorry bud, but regardless of what qualifications one might have, how more desireable they might be to someone with just a standard CDL Class A, you broke the law. And it is UNFAIR to complain how your slate should be wiped clean because it had been so old. It is not fair to law abiding citizens, who know when to up and leave a bad situation, to ask them to compare felons as 'equal' when they are not.

Kind of like how someone on welfare should be considered for a job they arent qualified for, just to get them off the system.

 

Swift didn't "screw you". You screwed yourself when you didn't report immediately to the collection facility, remember? Then you made amends to everyone on here and told us you finally understood that you were in the wrong. Now you're back to stating that you were screwed by Swift when in reality you screwed yourself.

 

I'm not sure who you are referring to; but, speaking for myself, I agree wholeheartedly with you. I personally made a mess of my life and have been paying for it for a long time and will for a lot longer. I accept those consequences and feel that those who have not made the mistakes that I have, should be given preference over me---without question.

But, there are people, like the driver who began this thread, that made a mistake, committed an offense not within the definition of 'moral turpitude'; and, therefore, to deny him based on a bar fight from driving a truck would be absurd. This man has some twenty years of military service with an Honorable Discharge. Can you in good conscience, say that one moment's indiscretion in a bar fight should wipeout 20 years of standing in harm's way to protect your freedom to make an ### of yourself.

Personally, I haven't read a single post on this thread claiming that they were unfairly discriminated due to their felony convictions. My advice was to be honest, forthright, accept responsibility for one's mistakes. This is a quote from my advice in my previous post:

"...I have a felony conviction. I don't want to waste your time. I would like to address this matter now; not to make excuses, or limit my culpability; but, to give you the opportunity to evaluate the gravity of the offense and make an early determination regarding my suitability for the position I am applying."

Does that sound like an effort to "wipe the slate clean"? I ask only that the mistakes I made 35 years ago, be mitigated by my actions over the course of the last 20 years. If that seems unreasonable to you, "Oh, well!". I am not going to grovel, nor lay down and die.

Lastly, throughout this country, there is a process in place for pardons and expungements. If this bothers you so, then write your Congressman. But, for a rookie with 0-1 years experience in this industry to make an across the board condemnation of everyone whoever found themselves standing before a judge; and, who, for that reason, should never be allowed to drive a truck is a bit of a reach. I have 15 years driving experience; I believe that's a fair indication that there are those who are broad-minded enough to realize that there is the ability in human nature to change one's self for the better. And let me say that, "If I ever I should lower myself to the extent that I become, as you say, your EQUAL, then most certainly, I should be locked up again.

 

agree, but disagree. Just because one makes a mistake (regardless how one might have been 'forced' into a situation) and gets slapped with a felony, then serves in the military, does not wipe the slate clean. I dont care if you were a serial killer, or a crooked old man who ran Enron, just because you serve in the military and you end up being a war hero, dont make things all better.

I couldnt get into a big fight in Jr. High, kick the dudes arse...then show up the next day with a candy bar asking him to be my friend. dont work that way.

p.s. and from what the OP said, he was 'provoked' into a bar fight. NO!! Quite simply, he was in a bar fight. It was obvious that law enforcement and the courts didn't care he was 'provoked' or not. if one dont know how to spot a bad situation getting out of control, and at the same time, one is losing all self control, then its time to MAN UP, and pay the tab, and walk out and cool off. I sure wouldnt want someone driving my truck who has a habbit of not being able to think straight when under pressure. I sure woudlnt want someone driving my truck, who makes a wrong turn, then makes it worse by getting nervous, and then forgets they're pulling a 53' trailer, and ends up cutting a corner, knocking over a telephone pole or worse yet, runs over the mother and baby in a stroller, all because the driver is flustered?

 

This is getting very strange. So, in your opinion, no driver who has ever been in a fight should be allowed to retain his/her license? If felonies in one's past are indicators of an inability to safely drive a truck; am I therefore an exception to your rule? I've been driving 15 years and never have I forgotten that I have a trailer behind me. Do you actually believe that if a man or woman get's in a fight that they should therefore be barred from any gainful employment for the rest of their life? You were born in the wrong era; you could have been a real asset to Senator Joseph McCarthy during his [in]famous McCarthy Hearings. MAN up? Are you for REAL?

I can just see a guy like you strolling down the street with your wife; when some jerk decides it's okay to grab your wife's breast. You, being a MAN; then tell the guy, "Unhand my wife you scoundrel!!!" To which his response is to spit in your face. Now, that's PROVOCATION!! But you would 'man up' and say, "Sir, you have broken the LAW!! I am calling the police!!" Sorry partner, but in that situation? I'm just going to have to go to jail for putting my hands on him and anything else I can find in the near vicinity! Oh, and by the way, we're not talking about Jr. High School. And, DEFINITELY not offering candy to children! You have a few kinks in you fella!

 

Hardly the case. But you're talking about 'maning up' what about maning up, and facing the judge for what you've done? You think one should be able to beat the !#$% out of someone then not have any responsibility. Every action has a cause and an effect.

What i am saying, if you could pay attention, is that if there are two applicants for one job, and they both have Class A CDL licenses, one is a fellon, with all possible endorsments, been driving for 5 years, and the other has only been driving for a year with no endorsements, then what i'm saying, is the driver with only one year experience should get the job because he or she is a law abiding citizen.

You cant break the law, and like in the movies, serve in the military, or do something heroic and think you have the right to have your slate whiped clean.

 

Check into Hirshbach Trucking. I was looking at them yesterday at their website, and it stated that they WILL hire drivers with prior felonies, if it was before a certain date. I think yours falls within their range...
Good luck to ya!

Judi Kay