Expert: Jason Grabill - 4/25/2007

Question
I would rather not have a department know about one of my jobs of being an exotic dancer, so I was wondering if a police department could get a list from the IRS of what jobs I have previously worked at?

Answer
Linda:

  This one is going to be tricky.     

 To answer your question, no, the Dept doesn't get a list of occupations from the IRS, they require you to list all your jobs.   Failing to do so, and them then discovering this during the background process, will get you DQ'd on the spot.  

 I would approach this in a different way.   If this job was several years ago or longer, and it was only as a dancer (nothing else other than that), then list it.   It may be embarrassing at this point in life, but we all have done things we perhaps wish we didn't when we were younger.  If I were on the interview board, the first question I'd ask about it was "Were you any good?"  :)  The answer better be 'yes' LOL.

 I know how much most of these ladies make doing this, and the money can be very lucrative.  I would stress that particular point, esp if you used the money to pay for college, etc.  

 As long as there were no criminal violations done during your dancing time, I would list it.  Simply put, you don't want to NOT list this, and have someone, somewhere, mention the fact either during the background, or, worse, AFTER you've been hired and are in the academy, on the street in patrol, etc.  That would be grounds for termination.   

 I, personally, do not see this as grounds for disqualification for employment as long as what you were doing was legal in the jurisdiction you were doing it in.  

 Let me know how things work out, by all means.  You might be surprised at how progressive people are these days.

 Best regards,
Jason