TL/DR –
Uber drivers in Michigan are experiencing delays in their background checks due to the new “Clean Slate Law”. This law, which took effect in April 2021, is designed to remove misdemeanors and some felonies from a person’s record, but it has complicated the process of searching for records, causing delays in background checks for Uber drivers. Some drivers, like Scott Sander and Hector Rivas, have been waiting for their checks to clear for weeks or even months, preventing them from working.
Uber Drivers’ Work Halted by Delayed Background Checks Due to Michigan’s “Clean Slate Law”
Michigan’s “Clean Slate Law” is reportedly causing delays in the Uber driver background check process, leaving drivers like Scott Sander unable to work.
“I like the people…It’s a great job when I can do it,” says Sander, who has been waiting for three weeks for his background check to clear.
Another Uber driver, Hector Rivas, has been waiting for five months. “I need my job to support my family,” laments Rivas.
The Clean Slate Law, effective from April 2021, was meant to clear misdemeanors and some felony convictions from applicants’ records. However, it has made record searches difficult, affecting organizations like Checkr that perform Uber background checks.
Kent County’s 61st District Court’s website is down for maintenance, further complicating the process. Meanwhile, Grand Rapids Private Investigator Ed Kolakowski expresses how the changes have made things tougher for larger companies relying on technology for background checks.
Other Uber drivers like Cynthia Newman and David Ware, who also experienced delays this year, are now back on the road and hope for a more streamlined process in the future.
“This is a job… And we enjoy it and we love it,” insists Newman.
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