Recent events have shown how difficult it is to escape a dodgy history, after a public servant was sacked based on embezzlement charges from a previous job.

The South Australian Education Department has relinquished the services of a finance officer who has been found guilty of embezzling around $119,000 from a private business. She was handed a 15-month suspended jail sentence.

The employee had been working as a financial counsellor with the Families SA section of the Education Department.

The South Australian Government said the woman neglected to mention the impending charges when she made an employment clearance application.

Reports say the Education Department’s Chief Executive is carrying out further investigations into other Families SA staff who may have been involved.