Money Matters
Dear Community,
Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
So, we don't do background checks on any of the guys at my work, which works out just fine 99% of the time. Not gonna lie, there's been a couple who have given me the heebie jeebies. Until now. We just a hired a guy a couple weeks ago and I can't stand him. He's never done anything to me to cause me to feel like that. But the feeling of dread around him has grown exponentially over the past few days. After everyone else has left he will poke his head in the office frequently to "chat". Today he tried getting me to friend him on FB and I lied and said I would but threw away his email when he wasn't looking. Just being around him makes me want to run and scream. Tonight H prompted me to Google him. I did. He's a registered sex offender for sexual assault on a child. Now I don't know what to do. I don't want to ever be around him but I don't really have a leg to stand on with that.
Warning
No formatter is installed for the format bbhtml
Re: WWYD
Does your state have sex offender levels? I ask because there's only one somewhat excusable situation for having that record in my book, and that's if you're a 19 yo with a 16 yo girlfriend/boyfriend whose parents press charges. In my area, though, that would show up as a lower level. Sexual assault on a child is much worse than any other offense that could give you a bad record. I'm all for people having a second chance, but now you feel uncomfortable at work and his particular record invites zero sympathy from me (unless it's as described above).
I'm not sure there is anything HR can do unless his job involves him being around kids or your business is located within a certain distance to a school/daycare.
Like Xstatic says, there may be more to the past then you know. I was on a jury once for a case where the guy was 18 and the girl said she was 16, however she was actually 14. Even though she lied about her age and she admitted on the stand that she lied about her age & consented to having sex, he still got hit with a sex offender charge because of what her actual age is & will have that on his record for the rest of his life. Not saying you should ignore it, but just giving you a real life example of someone got labeld who had the girl been the age she said she was, them having sex wouldn't have been an issue. Now it is possible his could be something more serious then this example.
I think all you can do is keep the relationship to a professional one in the office. As long as he acts professionally and does his job, I don't think HR can touch him. If he comes to your desk and it's not work related then just tell him you're busy working & can't talk.
Is there a way that you could leave with everyone else?
A few things:
As a listed child sex offender, is it because he did something with a little kid, or was it for one of the he was 18 and his GF was 16 sorta thing and her parents didn't like him? I feel like there is a difference.
But, anyway, your hair is standing on end for SOME reason. I'm a big fan of trusting one's gut instincts...they are usually correct.
Can you keep your office door locked when you're there alone?
Also, can you plan your restroom trips while others are still at work?
Also, is it possible that HR already knows his situation? Most job applications require you to list if you've ever broken the law before or been fined, in jail or whatever. But, he could have omitted that fact AKA lied. Or, maybe HR doesn't ask.
If you've felt fine around other employees that likely have records but suddenly feel off around this guy, I'd take that serious.
I've had to work with offenders in my line of work because we can't discriminate against it. It's usually not something we find out about unless we look online because we really have no reason to ask. Most are elderly and too frail to do any physical harm but sometimes we have a coworker "assist" to avoid being alone with an offender.
Gee, must be nice. Sorry, couldn't stop the sarcasm from spewing out! I can't imagine it taking an hour, much less two, to go to the post office and bank.
But, anyway, I think this is a discussion to have with her and/or any other superior. Perhaps she can change her schedule so she at least goes to the post office/bank earlier in the day when other people are around. I realize there is probably not a lot they can do from a "gut" feeling but, at least if they are aware of your uneasiness, perhaps they are things they can do to make you feel safer. For example, understanding you will be locking your office door after everyone else leaves or something like that.