Workers Compensation 101

« Back to Home

How A DUI Conviction Can Affect Employment

Posted on

If you have been charged with a DUI, you may think that all you need to do is pay the fines and your life will continue as normal. However, this is not the case. A DUI can have a major impact on your life. You can lose your license, be forced to pay increased auto insurance rates for up to 10 years and your current and future jobs can also be affected. Here are a few of the ways that a DUI conviction can affect employment. 

Can Affect Your State Issued Licenses

Many states require you to hold a state-issued license to work in a variety of fields. Nurses, cosmetologists, taxi drivers, and contractors are just a few of the professionals that are required to hold specialized licenses to work in their field. When you apply for any of these licenses, including renewals, you will be asked if you have ever been convicted of a crime. If you have been convicted of a DUI or pled no contest, you are required to disclose this information. Depending on the field, this may preclude from getting your license or renewing it. If it doesn't automatically preclude you, you may have to go in front of the licensing board and state why you should be given the license with a criminal conviction. This can be nerve-wracking and stressful. 

May Preclude You From Using Company Vehicles

If you are required to drive a company car or vehicle as part of your job, you can be immediately fired and/or precluded from that line of work in the future if you have a DUI conviction. The reason for this is that employers are required to submit a list of employees who are driving company vehicles to their insurance company. If you have a DUI conviction, your employer's insurance rates can drastically increase. As such, your employer reserves the right to fire you from your position due to your increased risk and costs. 

Can Affect Your Ability to Get Future Jobs

The last way a DUI can affect your employment is that it can affect your ability to become employed in the future. When you are looking for a new job, an employer will ask if you have been convicted of any crimes. They may also complete a background check. If you have been convicted of a DUI, you will have a criminal record, and this may cause you to have a much harder time getting hired. 

If you have found yourself charged with a DUI, it is strongly recommended that you hire a DUI lawyer. A DUI lawyer can help you fight the charges that you are facing. If you can get the charges lowered or dismissed, this can have a direct impact on your ability to keep your job or obtain jobs in the future. 

For more information, contact a business such as Winstein, Kavensky & Cunningham, LLC.


Share