> If the court seals the record its nearly impossible for anyone but government agencies to discover

No, it is not, because background check and other third-party intelligence firms aren't purely reactive now, they have and use tools to proactively vacuum up public records and maintain their own DBs. After-the-fact sealing of arrest records or expunging of convictions has no effect on data that is already in third-party hands.

Never knew this, so is it that just no employer cares enough about minor misdemeanors or the cost of doing so makes it not worthwhile? I've never heard of anyone getting a job offer taken back because of a minor misdemaonor

exactly what the GDPR helps you with...

Yes, but that costs money and not all states do it. My state has a fully searchable arrest database with mugshots.

wasn't there just a story about background check startups finding these records and using them?