Job Offer advice needed

[Silver_Rik, ASN, BSN, RN]

I am a December nursing school grad, and I have my first job offer. It is a position I am 100% certain I want. I am supposed to tell them today if I am accepting. The problem: On my license application I disclosed a misdemeanor conviction of minor in possession of alcohol from over 30 years ago (I am 52) for which I paid a $10 fine plus costs and now the BON has notified me that my application is being forwarded for further investigation which may take up to 3 months. The job says I need to have a provisional license by the start date Feb 20.

The BON head attorney has told me he doesn't think this will prevent me from being licensed (no other criminal history), and a private attorney says the same thing and that it should not take nearly 3 months for them to investigate; but I tried to get information from the contact person in the investigations department and they have not answered.

I think I need to call the hiring manager at the hospital that offered me the job and tell them this is going on but I'm afraid they will withdraw the offer. The same position will come open again in May so I could reapply then; but I'm also afraid they will be mad at me for not disclosing that I had this over my head when I interviewed. I'm also tempted to just accept and hope that everything is completed before 2/20 but I think they are going to be pushing me to show proof of my provisional license.

How would you handle this in my shoes?

[llg, PhD, RN]

If I were in your shoes, I would tell them -- and supply the court documentation, letters, and anything else you might have in writing that support your assertion that this is a very minor thing and should be cleared up in a couple of months. Push your application back to the May position.

However, I would have waited to have my license confirmed before applying for a job to avoid this problem to begin with -- or at least applied for the May opening to be on the safe side. I would not wanted to start a new job with this awkward situation still unresolved. Applying for the May position would have given you time to resolve it (or withdraw if necessary).

But now that you have gambled and lost (gambled that you would get a license quickly and that you would never have to tell the new employer) ... you have to deal with the fact that you might not be able to take this job at this time. I'd be honest and up-front and hope for the best.

[Silver_Rik, ASN, BSN, RN]

30 minutes ago, llg said:

If I were in your shoes, I would tell them -- and supply the court documentation, letters, and anything else you might have in writing that support your assertion that this is a very minor thing and should be cleared up in a couple of months. Push your application back to the May position.

However, I would have waited to have my license confirmed before applying for a job to avoid this problem to begin with -- or at least applied for the May opening to be on the safe side. I would not wanted to start a new job with this awkward situation still unresolved. Applying for the May position would have given you time to resolve it (or withdraw if necessary).

But now that you have gambled and lost (gambled that you would get a license quickly and that you would never have to tell the new employer) ... you have to deal with the fact that you might not be able to take this job at this time. I'd be honest and up-front and hope for the best.

I think you are right, and I agree I should've waited but felt under pressure to apply and was close to the deadline. I don't have any papers or court records, though I guess I could obtain them. Our BON doesn't require you to submit any of that on misdemeanors more than 5 years old and the basic state court report background check only goes back 15 years (BON uses that but also has a state police check and FBI check done that I assume are more detailed.)

I think my next step is to go to the court in the county where it happened (luckily not far from me) and check their records. I'm wondering if I should have my lawyer just call the BON and see if they will tell her how long I can expect this to take? One way or the other I need to call the hiring manager today and tell her what is going on.

Thanks

[Silver_Rik, ASN, BSN, RN]

Update: I just heard from the investigator at the BON. She has not looked at my application or background reports yet, but plans to do so and get back to me by the end of the week. At least that gives me a little more information to tell the hiring manager, so maybe they will let me stay on the 2/20 start date or give me an extension of time to accept.

[Silver_Rik, ASN, BSN, RN]

I told them, and they still want me. Said to just keep them updated with how things are going with the BON. Sent over my employment paperwork and I scheduling my drug screen tomorrow.

[Silver_Rik, ASN, BSN, RN]

Update: BON cleared me 10 days ago. I have my provisional license so I can start work on time, and have scheduled the NCLEX!!