Should I hire a man who was in jail?

amother

Mon, Jul 01 2019, 10:35 am

I live very oot in a tiny community. A man started coming to our small little shul. He claims that his mother is Jewish and he gets his ethnic look from his non Jewish father.
He also says he just got out of jail where he was for a long time.
He is looking for a job as a gardener.
I need a gardener. Should I hire him?
Should I believe him that he’s Jewish or is he just trying to find himself a community?
How do I know if he’s just looking for people to take advantage of?
My husband and I are older. My daughter tells me I shouldn’t trust him. He looks like such a nice man and I just want to help him.

ShishKabob

Mon, Jul 01 2019, 10:37 am

Strange post. Find out what he was in jail for. Do a background check on him and then find out if it's legal to reject someone based on the fact that he lived in jail for a bit.

yksraya

Mon, Jul 01 2019, 10:38 am

Do not trust him. For all you know he might have fled jail and is hiding out claiming he is jewish. You need to be careful around strangers. He might be a serious criminal. Better safe than sorry.

notshanarishona

Mon, Jul 01 2019, 10:44 am

I would Google and find out what he was in jail for and depending on if it was violent or not I would make a decision. A gardener is not coming in your house so you don't need the same level of trust as someone who you would trust with personal documents / belongings .

amother

Black

Mon, Jul 01 2019, 10:47 am

A gardener can be casing around the house looking for a way to break in. Wasn't Elizabeth Smart kidnapped by a guy who had been hired to do temp yard work around the house?

yksraya

Mon, Jul 01 2019, 10:49 am

notshanarishona wrote:

Some outdoor workers are swindlers. They come, play around a bit, then claim they did the job and they demand you pay them a certain price. It can get really dangerous if you mess with them.

Best is not to hire him in first place.

amother

Mon, Jul 01 2019, 11:01 am

The problem is that I already hired him. I spoke to my daughter last night and she told me all the reasons I shouldn’t trust him and now I don’t know if I made a mistake. I didn’t ask him what he was in jail for.
He did a very nice job in my yard. And I told him we would pay him monthly to take care of it.
And now I don’t know what to do.
How do I tell if he’s a nice guy trying to turn his life around or something dangerous?

watergirl

Mon, Jul 01 2019, 11:04 am

amother [ OP ] wrote:

I hear you. And everyone needs to make a living. Where do you live? In the US, most states have a free way to look up charges.

nchr

Mon, Jul 01 2019, 11:04 am

We contract with released inmates and get files of what they were in jail for. The vast majority of them were in for non violent drug crimes and are excellent workers, very thankful for having been given a job. Why shouldn't you believe that someone is Jewish? I'd just be wary because it is at your private home - ask him for some references (although if he is a bad guy, these could be fabricated).

yksraya

Mon, Jul 01 2019, 11:09 am

amother [ OP ] wrote:

In that case you should do a background check. If anything suspicious comes up, you will need to involve experts to see how to get rid of him.

33055

Mon, Jul 01 2019, 11:10 am

If he was in prison, he had access to a Rabbi - prison chaplain. You can look him up the ex-convict and ask the Rabbi. You could also ask your shul Rabbi.

I think it is a wonderful thing you are doing. You are giving someone an opportunity. It could be extremely awkward to fire him now and be in shul with him especially since he is doing a nice job.

amother

Powderblue

Mon, Jul 01 2019, 11:35 am

Its very easy to say you are Jewish and join a shul these days.

But, he could lying and looking for ways to break in or do worse Chas v shalom.

He could also be a nice person who had a hard childhood and joined with bad ppl....

Its really up to you if you should trust him. Since we don't know the future or his past, everyone decides whether to trust or not, whether to take a chance.

Its seems you decided to trust, and your DD is more cautious.

I, personally, heard too many horror stories such that I try to be extra cautious even if ppl ask me for directions, I say I don't know and quickly leave. I'm too afraid especially since Levi Aron was Jewish yet he....
And since I'm naturally trusting, I try to be extra cautious, such that I do the other extreme. I also tell my kids be wary of ppl asking for help...it could be a trick....

The world today is scary with crazy ppl so its crazy that I can't trust ppl askng for directions or for help. You just never know.

So, now its up to you if you still want to take a chance with him.

ShishKabob

Mon, Jul 01 2019, 12:01 pm

It says in the Gemmara, Kabdeihu Vchashdeihu. And that applies to everyone, not just to people that have a history. Better be safe and cautious and err on the part of feeling a bit awkward than a lot worse later.

soap suds

Mon, Jul 01 2019, 12:02 pm

I'm wondering why he'd tell you that he was in jail. Even if he is trustworthy, why would he go around telling people? I don't know whether this would make me trust him more or less, just throwing it out there.

ShishKabob

Mon, Jul 01 2019, 12:06 pm

[u]

amother [ OP ] wrote:

I just reread what you wrote and these 2 sentences jumped out at me.
someone jewish usually doesn't feel a need to convince you that he's jewish unless he's not.
No one usually offers information on the length of their jail time. If it was for a long time, this should be reason enough to make inquiries about it for all intent and purposes, not just for hiring, for the simple thing of inviting him for a Shabbos meal or whatever.[/u]