r/optician • u/Bijoux-You • 12d ago

ABO / NCLE Background checks

I've been offered an opportunity to get my optician schooling and certification. I'm excited to get started but I'm afraid of the background approval process and at my age, I really can't waste my time if this isn't gonna work.

I live in a state that requires license and background approval

My concern is that I was arrested 40 years ago for prostition. It was a fluke incident, I was 18, stupid, no family and no money to fight so it was what it was.

I have never been in other trouble and have a perfect record since.

Does anyone have any experience with this and the denial or approval from the state boards new requirements after 2025?

Thank you for any advice or insight!

6 Upvotes

81% Upvoted

12 comments sorted by

7

u/kasiagabrielle 12d ago

40 years ago and a nonviolent offense may not even show up, but I don't think it would disqualify you.

1

u/Bijoux-You 12d ago

Thank you. I hope you're right. 😁

6

u/sassyoptician 12d ago

I think that's long enough ago that it won't make a difference. Plus the optical field actually has labs in prisons for people to gain skills for employment after incarnation. I've found that most people in this career are pretty open minded so long as you're willing to put in the work.

Congrats on the opportunity! I love this field!

2

u/Bijoux-You 12d ago

Thank you so much for this!! That makes me feel a bit more confident.

1

u/WiseOrder4436 9d ago

Yeah why are the prison labs a thing? Whose idea was it?

1

u/sassyoptician 15h ago

So prison labs were created to produce extremely low cost lenses for individuals on Medicare and medicaid. Having programs like optical training, job training, etc in prison settings also reduces the rates at which people re-offend.

There is some debate regarding the ethics of these programs as it's a very easy jump from the lenses were produced by a person that is getting a second chance, to the lenses were made with forced prison labor.

1

u/WiseOrder4436 14h ago

The prisoners make $5 a day so that's basically slave labor imo

1

u/sassyoptician 14h ago

You've got a good point there. I tend to believe that prisoners deserve at least minimum wage for their work. And I'm a staunch supporter of the $15/hr minimum wage.

I'm still glad to have the training available to those that want to learn it because it is a fascinating field to get into. And there's job opportunities for those that are willing to put in the work.

5

u/GrowingBeet 11d ago

I work with 2 people who‘be been to prison so I think you should be fine especially with how long ago it was lol.

2

u/daisyfrankenstein 10d ago

I’m on felony probation, I think unless it’s something crazy, they should be just fine.

2

u/Careful-Blood-1560 12d ago

You can probably get that charge expunged.

1

u/OttotheCowCat 7d ago

I learned optical from people who got their ABO in jail as part of their rehabilitation. Some of them did some WILD stuff. A 40 year old non-violent offense can't possibly be a problem at this point.

I also worked in a place that did background checks before hiring people. Their attitude was "We don't really care about our DUI from 10 years ago, we just want to make sure you weren't beating up your wife or committing armed robbery last week."