Why Seal Your Record
How much could you gain by sealing your record?
- Studies show that within one year after a record is sealed, wages increase between 17% and 30%.
- Studies show that sealing a record increase wages more than job training programs.
- One 2017 study revealed an average increase in yearly income of $6,190 after a record was sealed.
Criminal convictions can significantly increase your insurance rates as insurance companies use background checks to determine insurance rates.
66% of surveyed landlord and property managers would not knowingly accept an individual applicant who has a criminal background.
Any criminal conviction reduces the likelihood of a job offer by 50% for qualified applicants.
Solution:
You don’t have to reveal sealed convictions when applying for insurance.
Solution:
Landlords can’t see or access criminal records once they have been sealed.
Solution:
Business screening services cannot report a sealed conviction to employers.
Banks and credit unions generally cannot hire a person convicted of certain crimes.
FDIC insured banks are prohibited from employing people with certain criminal convictions, unless the conviction is sealed.
Virginians with sealed convictions will be employable at banks.
New Virginia record sealing laws will allow people who were previously excluded from employment at banks to be hired. Section 19 of the Federal Deposit Insurance (FDI) Act generally prohibits individuals convicted of certain crimes from being employed by banks. The FDI Act defines sealed convictions as “not an offense of record.” The FDI Acts provides that a sealed conviction is not subject to Section 19 (which prohibits employment of people with
certain convictions.)
So, if you have a criminal conviction that previously prohibited you from being employed at a bank, once it is sealed you will become employable.
When can I seal my VA record?
Find out when you will be eligible to seal your qualifying Virginia record by inputting your last conviction date below:
