Negative Information on Background Check from When I Was a Minor

[luckylefty707]

My question involves a background check in the State of: CALIFORNIA

STORY:

When I was 15 years old I worked for Sears in the mall, and I was let go about 6 months later because the manager told me he caught me discounting some store items. All he said was, "I'm going to have to ask you to leave." and I never went back.

I am now turning 20 years old next month. Just last year I was hired to Circuit City and they told me that Sears was on my background check and it said something about $60 worth of merchandise was involved in the case.

Sears never sent me a bill or anything after I left the job and I was not arrested or no was I told to pay a fine. I called Sears Holding Inc. Human Resources and they told me I would have to call the store, but when I call the store they bounced me back to the HR I was talking to. They also told me there was nothing I could do about the matter and it's bugging me!

I am a make up artist trying to get a career with MAC Cosmetics, but I don't want to apply and have that show up on my records because I don't want to look like a bad person. I didn't steal anything and I have no criminal record, but I want this job so much that I don't want a background check to lose my chances.

I am trying to just pay off the $60 fee, but Sears says they can't do anything about it and they keep bouncing me back and forth.

Any expert advice will be greatly appreciated. Thanks for taking the time to read my long description.

[cdwjava]

Your name is probably on the National Theft Database. If Sears entered your name in the database, it could be that Circuit City ran your name through that system and came back with a hit. The entering business would be able to remove the information.

However, as a minor, your name should not have been entered.

http://www.theftdatabase.com/

If not from this database, then about the only thing that comes to mind is that someone actually spoke to an individual at Sears that related the info.

[luckylefty707]

Is it true that my juvenile record will be cleared once I turned 18 years old. My record wasn't even a misdemeanor or felony because I was not arrested. I live in California and wanted to know if my background should be clear by now. I am 19 years old, once again. Thanks

[cdwjava]

Is it true that my juvenile record will be cleared once I turned 18 years old.

No. This does not happen automatically for quite a few years. However, you can apply to have it sealed if you are no longer on probation or parole.

My record wasn't even a misdemeanor or felony because I was not arrested. I live in California and wanted to know if my background should be clear by now. I am 19 years old, once again. Thanks

It does not matter if you were arrested or not, it matters if a court found their to be a "true finding" of fact on the complaint (i.e. "guilty"). If you were never convicted in court, then you can seek to have the arrest record purged pursuant to PC 851.8.

[luckylefty707]

Thank you for the quick responses.

I still don't understand what I need to do to solve my problem.

I was never arrested, nor did I have any court hearings or files charged against me for the incident. I was only asked to leave the store, so I left and never went back. Sears never send me any bills to pay, or even contact me to resolve the issue.

Is there any advice that you can give me to fix this matter? Any advice on if I should call the HR and what I can tell them?

I really just want to pay the $60 to get it cleared, and I don't want to have to find a lawyer and pay more.

[cdwjava]

Thank you for the quick responses.

I still don't understand what I need to do to solve my problem.

I was never arrested, nor did I have any court hearings or files charged against me for the incident. I was only asked to leave the store, so I left and never went back. Sears never send me any bills to pay, or even contact me to resolve the issue.

Is there any advice that you can give me to fix this matter? Any advice on if I should call the HR and what I can tell them?

I really just want to pay the $60 to get it cleared, and I don't want to have to find a lawyer and pay more.

If the police were not involved, then the only record of the incident will be with the store.