Isn't it a standard question on application forms? In England it seems to be? (They don't count some traffic offences.) So, it's possible to lie, but lying is grounds for instant dismissal. (And possibly being sued for breach of contract.)

We have something called "Criminal Records Bureau" checking, which is used for anyone working with vulnerable people. (Children, old people, people with mental health problems, people with learning disabilities, etc etc.) There has been a problem with people using these too often (ie, for jobs that don't require them) and rejecting people for convictions that are either very old or that have no relevance.

It's a typical question on a job application. In the US, about all fast-food jobs have applications.

But I've never filled out a "job application" for a software development position. For the kind of jobs that are typical of American readers of Hacker News, employers asking about your arrest record is less likely than them asking where/if you went to college.

(There are certain classes of software development jobs where a felony conviction would matter, like defense work.)

The only time I've filled out an application for employment is when I was a teenager and worked at the Dairy Queen. From what I know about the software industry, it's very rare to do a background check unless it's for a position that requires a security clearance.

> I have never ever ever had anyone look into my background to see if I was a felon.

That you know of. But it is the sort of thing that some people do check up on quietly.

How sure can you be that no one did a background check on you without your knowledge?

I'm not 100% sure, but I believe in California at least that you have to disclose to the applicant/employee that you're doing a background check.