Misdemeanor charges can have a significant impact on a person's ability to find employment in Oregon. Criminal charges are looked down upon by employers who may refuse to hire anyone with a criminal history. This is particularly true when the misdemeanor charge is for selling alcohol to minors.
In Oregon, it is a Class A misdemeanor to sell alcohol to minors. This law applies even when simple mistakes -- such as transposing numbers on an identification card or drivers' license -- cause a clerk to give alcohol to a minor. In other words, why or how the sale was made is unimportant, the person selling the alcohol can still face criminal punishment.
For those accused, according to reports, it often means immediate dismissal from their jobs. Many local grocery stores have zero-tolerance policies against selling alcohol to minors. Therefore, even when accidents occur, people lose their jobs. Furthermore, those with Class A misdemeanors on their records may never again get hired by a grocery store because of the past charge.
A bill in the Oregon senate -- Senate Bill 1546 -- is looking to change this. In cases where selling alcohol to minors was unintentional a person could only be charged with a Class A violation. This means that if a person does not knowingly sell alcohol to a minor then the person wouldn't face a lifetime with a criminal record. This could improve the job prospects of those who make this mistake.
This case is just one example of how misdemeanor charges can have a significant impact on a person's life. However, just because someone is charged with a misdemeanor that doesn't mean that the charge has to end up on that person's permanent record. By taking legal action, people can avoid convictions and a criminal record that may impact their future employment prospects.
Source: Statesman Journal, "Alcohol sales to minors can doom job prospects," Feb. 13, 2014
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