For many, pursuing higher education and securing a job with high earning potential. Unfortunately, despite working hard to achieve your desired career, a felony conviction can shatter your aspirations. When facing criminal charges, particularly a felony, people often think about harsh penalties such as fines, probation, and jail time. However, they neglect to realize some of the long-term consequences a felony conviction can have on their career. If you are facing a felony conviction, contact a talented Chesterfield Criminal Defense Lawyer who can help you prevent the severe consequences and lasting effects of a felony conviction. Please continue reading to discover some lasting impacts a felony conviction can have on your career in South Carolina.
How can a felony conviction affect my career in South Carolina?
For many employers, if an employee is convicted of a felony, they will face immediate termination. This is usually when the employee is convicted of a crime revealing a moral problem related to the job. Even if the employer does not terminate your employment immediately, there is always the risk of losing your job. You must miss significant work to attend legal proceedings to handle your case. If your case concludes with unfavorable results and harsh penalties such as incarceration, you must miss work to complete your sentence. Therefore, a felony conviction can mean the immediate loss of your career.
Alongside the potential loss of employment, as a convicted felon, you may be prohibited from entering certain professions. For instance, those convicted of sex crimes cannot work in occupations involving children. For example, if you want to be a teacher, you will no longer be able to pursue that career, as many school districts refrain from hiring felons to care for children. Additionally, as a convicted felon, there will be restrictions when obtaining professional licenses. If you want to practice medicine, law, or another profession that requires a special license, a felony conviction will make it impossible. If you already have a license to practice in a particular field, it could be suspended or revoked due to a felony conviction. Therefore, a felony conviction can affect your current career and prevent you from working in a particular profession in the future.
Furthermore, many companies in today’s society run background checks before extending an offer of employment to an individual. When applying for most jobs, you must disclose any criminal convictions. If you fail to disclose that information and your employer eventually finds out through a background check, you will be terminated after being hired due to misrepresentation. Although companies cannot have blanket policies prohibiting hiring those with a criminal history, they may get around it by demonstrating that the criminal conviction relates to the job. Ultimately, you will have limited job opportunities as most employers refrain from hiring those with criminal convictions. That said, it is imperative to retain the legal services of an experienced lawyer who can help you avoid a felony conviction.
In the unfortunate event that you are facing a felony conviction, contact a skilled Chesterfield criminal defense lawyer from the Cockrell Law Firm, P.C., as soon as possible. Our firm is prepared to help you prevent harsh penalties and protect your career.
