| The State of Florida is in the forefront of helping | | | | criminal history if they have the money and/or |
| its citizens gain employment in a most perplexing | | | | because they lack employment. Misdemeanor |
| way. The State of Florida has actively expunged | | | | convictions typically can be sealed or expunged in |
| nearly 14,000 cases, up nearly 51 percent over | | | | virtually every state. Here in California, Mel Gibson |
| the previous year. With the state’s | | | | got his DUI expunged, because it was a first |
| unemployment over 11% the talent pool is at | | | | offense and he successfully completed his |
| high-tide and thus employers can be very | | | | probation, but then again he is not looking for a |
| selective. | | | | job. |
| Individuals must have a certificate of eligibility | | | | As a Consumer Reporting Agency (CRA), any |
| from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement | | | | legitimate background check company will adhere |
| (FDLE) to start the process. Unfortunately the | | | | to the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) and start |
| backlog is about 6 months on the turnaround | | | | by looking at convictions only, the date of the |
| time. Once the individual receives the certificate | | | | conviction and whether the offense is germane to |
| they can then begin the process of petitioning the | | | | the position the applicant is seeking. |
| court to have their records sealed or expunged. | | | | A CRA has a dutiful obligation to the FCRA and |
| Some attorneys in Florida have setup their own | | | | must protect the civil rights of the applicant while |
| cottage industry in assisting applicants in having | | | | protecting their client. |
| their criminal records sealed or expunged. On | | | | Granted, people make mistakes in life. What is |
| average it appears that these types of cases | | | | really important is to see if they keep making the |
| start around $500 and go up from there | | | | same mistakes over and over. By sealing and |
| depending on the complexity of the | | | | expunging cases, it makes it harder to connect |
| applicant’s criminal history. | | | | the dots and render qualitative analysis to the |
| As a veteran corporate investigator it just seems | | | | employer. |
| odd to allow an individual to seal or expunge their | | | | |