You're all wrong.
ex con,
You think wrong. Didn't you read this part?
Texas Business & Commerce Code - Section 20.09. Civil Liability - Texas Attorney Resources - Texas Laws
You get 1k per day until they sort it out, or three times actual damages.. which let's see.. if i got a job for $60k per year, and planned on staying there.. oh.. 5 years.. that would be 300k.. times.. three.. almost a million dollars.. plus mental anquish.. loss of health insurance.. etc.. etc...
also, Ex Con you said
I believe they're referring to the credit bureaus. I don't believe these include any of the myriad background check companies.
You believe wrong. Criminal history companies are Credit reporting agencies as defined by the Fair Credit Reporting Act. Read the third paragraph of this:
Criminal History Checks and The Fair Credit Reporting Act Newsletter Article
And JudyKayTee,
"Never good advice to lie on an employment application unless you have a wish to be terminated for no other reason other than they found out."
How would they find out? By doing a criminal history check? If they do, get a lawyer, and sue them for violating your rights. They can ask anything they want. If they have you brainwashed into tattling on yourself.. that's on you.