Will A Recent Misdemeanor Affect Finding A Job

Before I went to trucking school I got pulled over and a great guy with me shoved a pipe under the seat. They found it didn't make a big deal about it but said to call them the next day. I assume they were fishing for information on drug dealers. I didn't call them and months or a year later I went to CDL school got my CDL and drove accident free for one year. I quit to go home and take care of some things then planned on doing flatbed. I'm driving down the road and get pulled over and told I had a warrant for my arrest for drug paraphernalia. Now this I originally had it in my vehicle at least 3 years ago and never heard anything else of it. I went to court last week and they tried to put it off and wanted me to attend some classes for 6months to a year. So I pled guilty to be done with it. I haven't lived in that town for nearly two years. It's a misdemeanor my lawyer wanted to take it to trial but said I'd face 6 months in jail if convicted. I won't risk 6 months in jail for nothing. Will this keep me from getting a job now? The only thing else I've ever been arrested for was public intoxication 10-12 years ago and a few times for child support.

I don't know, Brandon. Based on that story alone, I wouldn't hire you to drive my 80k lb, $150k rig. It's full of holes, showing a pattern of irresponsibility and deflection.

If you want a shot at getting back in the saddle, you need to take care of your business. Get out of the court system, take your classes or whatever, stop getting pulled over, man up and accept some responsibility, and move forward with a willingness to change.

It won't be easy for a while. You'll get some rejections. But with some focus and effort, you'll make it. Good luck.

I think there is more to the story than is being told.

Brandon hung out with the wrong crowd:

Before I went to trucking school I got pulled over and a great guy with me shoved a pipe under the seat.

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Ahh, the "orphan" pot pipe. The cousin to the "orphan" joint, beer, etc.

This is what I can tell your from your version of the story.

1. You got cited for drug paraphernalia. You CANNOT have warrant for your arrest unless your were cited and failed to appear in court.

2. You blew off the citation and they issued a warrant for failure to appear.

3. The court offered you a deal to attend a drug program. You declined and pled guilty because you didn't want the chance to go to jail for six months.

I don't believe that you would be facing 6 months for a drug paraphernalia charge.

4. You have been arrested for failure to pay child support.

Your own version of the story shows you are 1) horribly irresponsible and 2) in so much denial about your irresponsible behavior, that you can't even relate the story in such a way that doesn't reveal your irresponsibility.

If I told you that story, would you hire me for anything?

My $.02: Your background will make it hard to get hired; your version of your background will make it next to impossible to get hired.

I don’t think anyone in the history of history has admitted to owning drugs/paraphernalia in the car. Read your story from someone else’s view and observe any holes.

One way the C.B. was the ruination of trucking was the drivers talking about popping pills, snortin' some nose candy and smoking some weed then driving their truck.

All of a sudden there was pre employment drug screening and random drug testing.

You think the two might be connected?

One way the C.B. was the ruination of trucking was the drivers talking about popping pills, snortin' some nose candy and smoking some weed then driving their truck.

All of a sudden there was pre employment drug screening and random drug testing.

You think the two might be connected?

Well, look at this from today. This stuff (and worse) is still going on, and nobody uses a CB anymore.

So how do drivers pass their drug screens?

So how do drivers pass their drug screens?

usually in the left lane