By Beth…
My son had consensual sex with a 15 year old girl back in 2003. He was 22 and she was 15. It was very wrong and he knows that. He got caught in a sting after that and actually confessed to having met a girl online. That is how the state of Texas was able to bring charges against him, he was honest. The girl, nor the girl’s parents cared about bringing charges.
It was his first offense and he was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Let me just say it was an election year and the judge allowed a camera in the courtroom. He served 9 years and 9 months. He has stayed positive and has a good life. People that know him, know he is honest, hard working and good man. He has recently gotten married and they just had a baby. Well a company that believes in giving second chances hired him and he worked there for 2 1/2 years. He received a job offer from another company making quite a bit more so he decided that would be best for his family.
The new company did a background check and found the conviction and decided that it had been 14 years since he had been sentenced and wanted to give him a chance. He has a degree in accounting and he started work there. The HR manager would share with him why some people didn’t get hired so we know that she shared personnel information with others and that should be a fireable offense so we feel that she told others about my son’s background. Soon, he was shunned by others in that office and when he would try to ask questions to learn his job, they would shoo him away like he was a dog.
Well after 30 days they let him go saying that he did not meet their requirements. I don’t have to tell you how hard it is to find a job and then to be let go under false terms. Right now he is at least trying to get unemployment but that may not happen. He is going to file a grievance with the Texas Workforce Commission about that company.
So far he is still staying upbeat but enough is enough.
Thanks
I’m very sorry this happened to your son. It just makes me sick and upset when I hear stories like this. A similar situation happened to me in WA state. I moved from Utah to WA to take this job, and after 4 days on the job, they all of a sudden decided to due a background check on me. Two days later I was fired.
Good for him that he is filing a complaint with the Texas Workforce Commission. But I think the saddest thing here is being “shunned by others in that office.” People not on the registry are so afraid to be social with someone on the registry because they are afraid what others will think of them. It really comes down to that.
The one thing I was confused about in your story was this:
“The HR manager would share with him why some people didn’t get hired so we know that she shared personnel information with others and that should be a fireable offense.”
If the HR manager shared private information with other employees, this is completely against policy, I would figure. Hopefully your son can get some resolution with the Commission.
Good luck to the both of you and keep fighting!
My story about how I was fired: https://tinyurl.com/qoel9fy
Beth
What was done to your son is deplorable. So senseless and ignorant. What reasons could they have come up with as far as getting his livelihood taken from him? I hope that he pulls through and gets another job.
Being in Texas, I totally understand how the young man feels. I plead guilty in 2003 of possession of CP on my computer. After serving 5 years, I was released in ’08 and did 3 years on paper. I scoured the city for a job, any job. But since I was old and had some health issues I got no response from any application I put in. Another RSO told me that if you couldn’t do construction, there were no jobs for us. I finally was given a job part-time at a fast-food restaurant. Believe me, the minimum wage ($6.50) didn’t nearly cover living and parole expenses. I put in as many hours as I could. While working there, I constantly was putting applications in with no result. After 10 years I am still working for the same restaurant and making $8.50 an hour. I rarely get as many as 20 hours a week Even with Disability payments I can’t stretch things far enough.
I’m amazed that your son is able to support a family amidst all of his challenges. I pray that he is strong enough and lucky enough to make it through this time. Somewhere there is a job for him. It may take time and effort to find it, but he must keep his spirit up and his head held high.
Frank,
I understand completely where you are coming from, I was arrested in 2009 at age 55, after serving my time I was unable to find any work, I was lucky and got Social Security disability but it was ruff making ends meet. What I do now is I go to thrift stores and pick up items cheap and sell them on Ebay. Anyone can do it and you dont have to spend a lot to get started. I make about $2000 a month and boy does it help. I sit at home and do it in my spare time. There is work out there, you just have to find it. Keep your head up! I will be 65 in a couple of months and am finally doing good.
Michael
Michael,
I’m so glad things have worked out for you. You don’t get too much good news out of Texas lately. I was released at the age of 58 and most days feel totally useless and hopeless. No one wants an old, broken down Registd Sex Offender as a neighbor, co-worker or friend.
I finally was put on disability and got around $900 a month Try to live on that! Just recently they switched me over to SSI and after they take out about $140 a month it leaves around $750. My rent is $600 and car payments of $200!
I do help make my payments by selling good quality silver jewelry with real gemstones at the local flea market. In the first couple of years, it was great. But recently it has really collapsed and people are not spending much money on good quality things. I thought about trying eBay, but their rules and “guidelines seem very complicated (I’m a simple, old man)! For a younger, more technical-minded man I would probably be a very good possibility!
To all our brothers out there, here is a great example of “Life After Conviction”. It may not be a bed of roses at first, but you CAN find ways of growing your future.