What’s the Difference Between a Felony and a Misdemeanor? 13 Dec 2017

After a long, sometimes arduous search for the right employee, it can be a huge relief when you finally find someone who you’re sure fits the role. This is why waiting for the results from an employee background screening test that includes a criminal record check can seem to take so long. The last thing you want to see is a blemish on this “perfect” candidate’s record.

An employment criminal background check is an essential part of ensuring a safe workspace. Of course, not every crime is the same, and some are more severe than others.

It’s up to the employer to decide if the crime — if applicable — is severe enough to bar the candidate from employment. In making this decision, it’s important to know how the most worrisome crimes are classified and how they might affect your hiring decision.

Misdemeanors

Though many people think of misdemeanors as minor crimes, they can be rather serious. For instance, assault resulting in bodily injury, harboring a runaway child, and burglary can all be classified as misdemeanors, and few people would consider these minor. Misdemeanors are classified by severity, usually indicated by a “class” or “level.” Typically, a misdemeanor will include offenses such as vandalism, theft, trespassing, possession of an illegal substance, public indecency, and public intoxication. These crimes are punishable by no more than a year in jail.

Felony

A felony conviction is reserved for the most serious crimes, and as a rule of thumb, any crime that results in more than a year in prison is classified as a felony. These are usually the most disturbing crimes, such as homicide, rape and kidnapping. They also include embezzlement, forgery, and theft, acts that may not involve violence, but would be extremely worrisome to employers. Being convicted of a felony can lead to far-reaching repercussions such as losing the right to vote, own firearms, and more.

At Trusted Employees, we take the time to learn the needs and concerns of each of our clients. Depending on how expansive you need the criminal background check to be, we take a fine-toothed comb through criminal records on the federal, national, state, and county levels. We can even conduct an international criminal search to give you a more complete picture of your candidate and complete confidence that you are maintaining a safe workspace.