Background checks...suspended license

[Aisling]

I was offered a job with Air France, contingent upon the results of a ten-year background check on me. I thought I was as clean as snow, but then I remembered my drivers license was suspended for not paying a moving violation ticket. I didn't pay because I wanted to fight it...I made a turn that was prohibited until after 7 pm, and my car clock which is set to the local news time announcements said it was 7:03. The officer gave me a ticket for $150, saying according to his watch it was 6:59, which is what he wrote on the ticket. I went before the judge and he sided with the officer.

Just to be a smart-*******, I still didn't pay the ticket, thinking when I got the second notice I'd go before another judge and make my case.

Well, the second notice was a suspension of license order. I then gave up, paid the ticket, and my license was reinstated on the spot.

My question is, would this show up on a background check, and do you think it would affect my Air France employer's decision to hire me? I did well in all the interviews, I speak fluent French, I live 15 minutes away from the airport, and fit the "mold" of who they want to have working for them, except for that one license suspension.

Any opinions?

 

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

How long ago was it suspended? the DMV may only go back so far when doing a records check, (check with DMV!!!) plus, is the job you are getting going to entail you operating any company vehicles?

If so, I think I would call personnel and say that you just rememberd the incident. most places will forgive minor moving violations if you tell them up front. Usually the company policy is stated in any forms you fill out for the background, or provided.

If you don't tell them, and they find it, then it looks like you were covering something up.

 

[barkley]

not sure how military employment works but when i worked for government the level of what they would let slide on background checks varied depending on the job classification and m.q.'s.

i remember there was an issue with driving records (and lic. for that matter) involving one classification of staff i did the hiring for that was constantly being challenged by applicants (as well as the union). while the job itself never required driving one of the old m.q.'s required that anyone who held it had to have a valid driver's license and be below some kind of tolerance level driving record wise. there were always a number of highly qualified (otherwise) candidates that h/r just would'nt let us hire because of lic/driver's records issues. apparantly because the job specs said that in some kind of extraordinary circumstances that classification might be called upon to drive a gov. vehicle (though i never saw it happend in over 15 years), risk managment and our insurer would not permit anyone who did'nt meet the criteria they had set be hired.

some applicants just walked away and never purused still getting hired-some did some kind of official request to be told what issue on their clearance had precluded them from hiring, got the info., got it cleared up and we were able to employ.

 

[Aisling]

Thank you for the advice. It happened over the summer.

I'll be working as a Passenger Service Agent, boarding people, helping accommodate people with special needs, chaperoning minor children traveling alone, etc.

I now see that I should bring it up before they find it. Darnit!

There's no mention of driving in the job description; however, one of the requirements is to have a valid driver's license.

 

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

Thank you for the advice. It happened over the summer.

I'll be working as a Passenger Service Agent, boarding people, helping accommodate people with special needs, chaperoning minor children traveling alone, etc.

I now see that I should bring it up before they find it. Darnit!

There's no mention of driving in the job description; however, one of the requirements is to have a valid driver's license.

Hmm, that usually means you might be asked to drive in a company vehicle.

but you have the right idea. If you bring it up as a, "oh by the way, I just remembered"...

Make sure you get the point that you want to be totally honest about your background, and that you took care of the ticket.

A falure to pay was the only reason they suspended your license, not because of an "at fault" accident or driving under the influence.

good luck.

 

[locolala]

Thank you for the advice. It happened over the summer.

I'll be working as a Passenger Service Agent, boarding people, helping accommodate people with special needs, chaperoning minor children traveling alone, etc.

I now see that I should bring it up before they find it. Darnit!

There's no mention of driving in the job description; however, one of the requirements is to have a valid driver's license.

This is the job I used to have! I think you should be fine, the main reason they are running the background check is to make sure you aren't a terrorist. Seriously, it's because you will have access to the tarmack and bags. Heck, I was truthful to them about a drug history and they still took me!

 

[LoraJ]

I can't believe the judge sided with the officer on that. 6:59pm? That's ridiculous. He probably pulled that every day and purposely has his clock set slow. I seriously do not blame you.

I had one moving violation once where I turned left down a one way street. I did not realize that I was not allowed to turn left until I already started my turn, there was a guy behind me doing the same thing so I felt it was safer to just follow through. Of course there were two cops waiting to pull us both over. The cop who wrote out my ticket was very friendly and said she wrote up teh ticket wrong so that I could fight it. I fought it, and when my day in court came, there were ten people in front of me that had the same wrong ticket written. They all had elaborate presentations so that by the time it was my turn the judge just said, "Don't make that left turn again, dismissed."

I hope everything works out for you.

 

[Aisling]

I can't believe the judge sided with the officer on that. 6:59pm? That's ridiculous. He probably pulled that every day and purposely has his clock set slow. I seriously do not blame you.

Yes, 6:59! The judge said that since it was so close, it's the policy to go by the officer's logged time instead of the "violator's" time which couldn't be proven.

the main reason they are running the background check is to make sure you aren't a terrorist. Seriously, it's because you will have access to the tarmac and bags

Hmm, that usually means you might be asked to drive in a company vehicle.

Other than that suspension, I'm ok.

My main question was if background checks included driving history, and now I see they must for this job. I've had employment backgroud checks before, but they basically looked for criminal activity.

Thanks for the replies.