How a DUI can derail your career

Posted on January 22, 2014 in DUI Charges

The thing most people fear after being arrested for drunken driving is the possibility that they might spend time in jail. While that’s a reasonable thing to worry about, there are other consequences that can stem from a DUI arrest that should also be considered.

A recent news article detailed some of the ways a DUI can derail your career, including mandatory termination from your job. There are a number of Scottsdale employers who include in their employment contracts provisions enabling them to fire an employee convicted of a crime.

Many employers also require workers to notify them immediately of an arrest. Obviously, even if an employer doesn’t terminate a worker after an arrest, the employer might well pass over the employee when it comes time for promotions or raises.

Many people arrested for DUI worry that if they lose their driver’s license, they will also lose their ability to get to work. That could mean a loss of a job, or exorbitant travel expenses or arranging for family or friends to provide rides to and from work.

Another unanticipated consequence of a DUI: a dramatic spike in auto insurance costs. For those who drive vehicles for a living, this can mean an employer is faced with an unwelcome rise in expenses, which can lead, again, to a dismissal from the position.

Consider, too, that there are professions requiring licenses in order to work. These can include doctors, nurses, plumbers and others.

In some cases, arrests must be reported to the licensing agencies, and those reports can have a negative impact on the person’s career. If the licensing agency pulls the license or denies an application for a license, that person can no longer work in their chosen field.

Finally, in this age of the internet, many employers now routinely examine a prospective employee’s background with a simple Google search. A DUI/DWI conviction is likely to have a negative impact on the applicant’s chances of landing the job.

Perhaps the best advice dispensed in the article on drunken driving arrests and impacts on careers is this: “If you are arrested for a DUI, contact a criminal defense attorney right away.”

Source: AOL, “9 Ways A DUI Will Destroy Your Career,” Donna Ballman, Jan. 21, 2014