Would you employ an ex offender?

[Skintfriend]

I have a friend who has run out of money. She has a history of fraud which she has served time for. She is not likely to steal again. Her last conviction was ten years ago. I have employed her with no issues but I'm retiring on health grounds.
She claims she can't get a job and to be fair her ex husband tells any employer about her history. Her conviction is spent but she is worried she will be asked about her past. It was during a very violent marriage and she was financially abused. I guess my question is in all honesty is do you think she will get another job? She's not old enough for her pension. She fit and healthy.

Can you give her a good reference? Surely that would help?
I'd employ her.
My cleaner is an ex offenders ( Fraud) had her 7 years.. lovely lady.. no problems.
She goes above and beyond her cleaning duties.. and I've recommended her to friends who now employ her.

Would depend on the position. If she was imprisoned, that indicates a serious offence, as minor things would not result in custofdy. I definitely would not want to hire her in any position handling cash, or in anything banking/finance related.

Yes I would.
I have worked helping ex offenders gaining employment. Second Timpsons as a suggestion. Also, could she go self employed?
She may be able to access suport at the job centre or through charities. Google, the local library or CAB may have info.

Difficult one. It's better for society if ex offenders can get jobs, but it's a risk for the employer to take that someone is reformed. Easier to employ the other person.

My ex has employed a number of ex offenders. Unfortunately the one that had history of fraud robbed him blind. I'd always have given someone a chance but that tainted my view. Maybe if it was a job with no access to money, or a crime that wasn't dishonesty I still would but I'd be wary now. Once bitten...

I've given her good references. I've recommended her for jobs. She was working in the next county pre covid and that was successful.
I've told her to apply for benefits and see how the job centre can help. They have flexible employers. They want her to work so they will make sure they can't sack her for old news.
I think the thread has shown me most people would employ. That is encouraging. Personally I would hide in a warehouse and just get on with it but she's had better jobs than that. Sometimes we have to cut our cloth.

She needs to live with the consequences of her bad behaviour.

No sympathy frankly and no, I wouldnt employ her. Serves her right.

If I had employment to offer, in theory I’d want to support ex offenders. Someone with multiple convictions for fraud, years apart, show that it’s in her to do it again and it would be impossible to be able to trust that she wouldn’t.

In a weird way, beating up old ladies once a long time ago would easier to overlook from an employers perspective.

The nature of your friends crime means that she needs to be doing everything possible to build trust. By failing to disclose that she has convictions, she’s doing the opposite of that. She might not have to tell them, but someone who was committed to being honest would choose to.

Depending on the role and offence, yes in principle. I think she should disclose the convictions regardless of whether they are spent, and give a précis of how she has rebuilt her responsibility and experience. Takes away the power from her ex. Could she apply for higher positions within companies or explain why she's specifically looking for retail long term on the application forms if they're saying she's overqualified? Try and preempt these issues? Plus I think she should speak to the police/ probation/ whoever handles the order against her ex. Sounds like he's in breach. Jobcentre might help with ideas for suitable vacancies.

It's going to depend on the role. Most employers wouldn't touch her for a role involving finance in any way.

All recent jobs I've had (two new ones this year) have had DBS checks.

She's stuck really. If it's spent, I guess it will only show on an enhanced DBS check, not a standard one. If she's upfront about it and explains it's because her ex keeps stirring things up, she's likely to get them worrying about him causing other trouble, and on balance, maybe it's best to go with that other candidate...

Personally I would hide in a warehouse and just get on with it but she's had better jobs than that. Sometimes we have to cut our cloth.

But if she could get her foot in hte door with that sort of work, and be a model employer for a year or two, she is in a much better position to move on to something better.

I think she needs to disclose it when offered a job just to block the ex from ruining things. And not apply for roles where theft or fraud is a possibility.

I’ve worked in two organisations where we have employed people with spent convictions, and even a live conviction that was not directly related to their role. So there are employers out there who will.

however, some position the lack of disclosure as indicative of a broader trust/integrity issue - which is understandable, albeit not in line with the guidance.

It sounds like her initial
cv/application/interview goes well, if she is getting hired. So perhaps she would be better off waiting until she has had an offer in writing, and then phoning them up to explain that she has a spent conviction which she doesn’t need to declare, but would rather give them to opportunity to discuss it now? And they may appreciate her honesty - sounds like she doesn’t have much to lose.

okay there’s a chance they may withdraw the offer, but better than getting sacked two weeks in because her husband is a twat! At least this way even if her ex phones them up, they can tell
him to bugger off.

She can check here whether she needs to disclose a spent conviction for the type of role she is applying for: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/new-guidance-on-the-rehabilitation-of-offenders-act-1974

I have employed loads- generally teenage offenders who are now 30 or over and how have done some pretty awful things as children or young adults. But they had a crap start in life.

Adult fraudster- no

I would and I have. People can and do change, despite the shite posted on here. I’m not the same person I was at 20.

Aren't the convictions spent after 10 years? And yes, lots of folk will give ex cons jobs.

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It's interesting that she had a great start in life but her mother hates her, bullies her and is as hard as nails.
She's the last sibling left.
She might find her mother leaves everything to the cats home! It's just such a waste of her talents and she physically can work. She'd even wipe bums but she's not allowed to as fraudsters may encourage gifts apparently. She's tried charities, care, cleaning, all no. All vulnerable. Ousted from a school and they knew but the other parents were 'concerned'. Disrepute.

No I wouldn’t. Perhaps she should start her own business, cleaning or dog walking or painting / decorating? Whatever she wants

No she has two convictions 20 years apart that shows that most likely she's just been unlucky twice as in those are just the occasions she's been caught in a lifetime of fraud

She should have found a way to have her own business after the first conviction. I think I'd probably not employ her for lacking the smarts to figure that out, if I'm honest.

She has had her own business hence the business fraud. She is not good at coming up with ideas that work. They are like a bad episode of the dragons den. I paid her well but no more than anyone with the same qualifications.
She is her mother's main carer. She could manage on a part time job and that might be better as that is often more flexible.
I'm going to have a word with her to see if she'll try again. I just don't have it in me to hold her hand again. I've been ill for a year and not working myself. She's been helpful but not looking for work as I believe she thought I'd get better. I won't.
She hadn't asked for a loan and I don't have it anyway.

You don’t have to do anything, you’re not her keeper. Let her find her own solutions.

Concentrate on looking after yourself.

Yes, I agree.
It looks like when she gets desperate she steals - and you say shes getting desperate again.
I know someone like this, very posh, very charming, was jailed for fraud but what she was jailed for was just what could be proved. The CPS went for conviction on one thing (mortgagae fraud) and the other stuff that actually ruined lives she got away with
After 1 year in jail she was released and within weeks had stolen from a local group but she still had defenders.