I submitted my fingerprinting and my background check is in progress as I understand it. I am set to start this clerkship very soon. I am not familiar with how long the process takes, and my understanding is that clerks regularly start their clerkships without the background checks having been finalized. I am giving up a job in order to take this clerkship, and while I am all in to do it (the clerkship), it would give me great peace of mind to know that the check is completed before I put in my notice to my current employer. I think that's actually pretty standard practice for most jobs, although I know the courts can sort of make their own rules. Anybody have any experience with this predicament. Would I draw the ire of the judge and potentially risk the clerkship if I asked to postpone the start date until I get confirmation, assuming that the background check isn't completed in the next week or so. I have nothing that concerns me in the background check, but starting this clerkship requires an upheaval of my life, and I just want every assurance that everything will be good once I start.
Thanks in advance for the advice.
Background check - asking for extension until it's complete Forum
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Re: Background check - asking for extension until it's complete
I didn't think courts actually ran background checks on clerks? Mine didn't. I got fingerprinted and I'm sure they ran my prints, but they took my prints my first day of work. I filled out a form with employment/other history, but nothing was ever said that starting was contingent on passing the background check, which is not the case in jobs where a background check was required. I mean I assume if you said you had no criminal history and the FP check came back with multiple convictions there would be problems, but that's not quite the same as having to finish a check before you can even start. I suppose it's possible different courts have different policies though.
But frankly you can call up the HR person for the clerkship and ask them about this. Ask them if your start date is contingent on passing a check and if so, when they will be able to tell you that you've passed. Only then would I think about asking your judge about it. The biggest issue with asking for an extension is that normally incoming clerks coordinate start dates with outgoing clerks - judges don't usually have room for extra clerks but also don't want to be without a clerk. So if the extension means that the outgoing clerk will have gone already and your judge will be left hanging, it might not go over well. It will probably depend a lot on the judge's temperament.
But I kind of suspect you will be fine.
But frankly you can call up the HR person for the clerkship and ask them about this. Ask them if your start date is contingent on passing a check and if so, when they will be able to tell you that you've passed. Only then would I think about asking your judge about it. The biggest issue with asking for an extension is that normally incoming clerks coordinate start dates with outgoing clerks - judges don't usually have room for extra clerks but also don't want to be without a clerk. So if the extension means that the outgoing clerk will have gone already and your judge will be left hanging, it might not go over well. It will probably depend a lot on the judge's temperament.
But I kind of suspect you will be fine.
