A key focus of my blog is Career Discussions. In some instances individuals have been convicted of crimes, look for employment afterwards and must face the reality of the possibility of being denied. Not being transparent can create issues as well and have consequences if discovered. The following contributed post is entitled, How To Tell Your Boss You Have A Record.
* * *
There is something so shameful about being arrested. It’s not that other people have to make you feel ashamed of it, but the years of being told how to stay out of trouble can often get the better of you. The five stages of dealing with an arrest make it clear, but it’s so important that you know that your arrest isn’t the end of the world.
If you have been arrested for a crime, you know that you have had a tough few days. You’ve been away from home and you’ve been through it and likely not slept – you also have a court case coming up where you will discover whether you will get a sentence of four to six months for your crime, or if they will take a little pity on you. Either way, it’s not going to be an easy conversation to have with your boss. You have to tell them about what’s going on – and you have to be honest about it.
The first thing that you need to do before you tell anyone anything, is know what’s happening. You need to know why you were arrested and what you will be facing. Depending on your profession, you could lose your job, but that doesn’t mean that you should keep it all to yourself. You need to talk to your employer – especially if you are anticipating a spell in prison. It’s important to know your formal charges, what your probation conditions are (if any) and what court dates will be. With this information, you can approach your boss for a conversation.
There is always a question about whether you legally need to tell your boss about the arrest and the situation going forward, and the answer to that is a resounding yes. Your employer has a right to know if there is any illegal activity going on – though you can hold the fanfare about traffic tickets. When you have everything that you need, set up a meeting via your human resource department and meet with your boss face to face. This isn’t something to talk about over the phone!
Take it slow when you do see your boss. It’s not a good idea to dive right in! You need to think about a meeting with no interruptions – this is one conversation you don’t need people listening in on. This needs to be a calm meeting without any yelling or shouting. This is going to be the most important part of the meeting; you need to remain as calm as possible at all times, as your boss is going to have to make some tough decisions with regard to your future in the business. There will be some tough things to hear, but hear them you must. You have to represent yourself well, and the best thing to do is to stick to the facts and find out the next steps for you. An arrest can change your life, but you may not be completely cut off from your future – and that’s what this meeting is for.
