A DUI is a serious criminal charge. While you may worry the most about whether you will go to jail or the financial implications of the charges, you also need to consider the other consequences.
A DUI conviction can affect other parts of your life, including your employment. The actual impact will depend on your profession and the nature of the violation.
Specific occupations
If your job involves driving, you will probably feel the consequences deeply. You may even lose your job over the conviction. If your ability to drive is a direct part of your job duties, your employer can let you go. Even limited driving privileges from the court may not be sufficient to allow you to continue driving on the job because they don’t trust you to drive a company vehicle.
Those with a commercial driver’s license (CDL) will likely be unable to continue their career — some DUI charges will revoke your CDL and prevent you from obtaining another one in the future.
Background checks
Since a DUI or DWAI is a criminal charge, it appears on background checks. You may be unable to get a job with employers who will not or cannot hire someone with a criminal record. Since DUI charges can range from misdemeanors to felonies, it often depends on your specific case. Still, you may find it more difficult to get employment with a DUI, particularly a felony.
Missing work can be a problem
Beyond the actual charge, the punishment associated with it could lead to trouble at work. You will likely miss days, which could result in your employer letting you go. The bottom line is no matter what, there likely will be some impact on your employment if you have a DUI conviction.
It’s best to fight the charges
It is best for those stopped on suspicion of DUI or DWUI to fight the charges. It can involve getting them dismissed if the officer made a mistake or reducing the charges to reflect the nature of the violation better. These issues are often best handled by an experienced criminal defense attorney.