The Consequences of a Felony Conviction: Avoid, Avoid, Avoid

By Josie Mastandrea

The most severe consequence of a felony conviction, however, is its effect on employment. There are certain industries that felons are pretty much barred from entering. These include law enforcement agencies, professions involving childcare, healthcare work–all of which require certain licenses and certifications a felon cannot receive.

Those select industries aside, an initial job application cannot ask about an applicant’s criminal history in Massachusetts. However, down the line in the hiring process, an employer is permitted to discriminate based on an applicant’s criminal record, which would be disclosed during a background check if a company performs them. Massachusetts attempts to protect those with criminal records from employment discrimination by requiring that merely having a criminal record alone not be the only reason for disqualification from a job–the nature of the crime and whether it would relate to the applicant’s ability to perform the job must also be considered. Nonetheless, this statute can only do so much–finding employment opportunities will still become extremely difficult.

 

How Do I Avoid a Felony Conviction?

The first step in avoiding a felony conviction would be not to commit a felony, of course, but there are ways to get felony charges dropped or reduced to misdemeanors. The court typically tries to refrain from handing out felony convictions for more minor crimes, because of the serious consequences mentioned above.