How Can a DUI Affect Your Employment or Education?

Did you know that in the State of Connecticut a DUI/OUI conviction is punishable by fines, driver’s license suspension, and even time spent behind bars? Additionally, once you have served such criminal penalties, then you’ll have a  permanent criminal record that can have a negative impact on not just your employment but also your education.

We have provided a list of ways a DUI can impact your life:

• Job termination: It is common for companies to have a mandatory firing policy in the event an employee is convicted or even arrested for a crime. These companies tend to have a strict ruling for these offenses. If you are unsure if this applies to your workplace then you can locate the policy in either the employee handbook or employment contract. While you probably aren’t going to plan on getting a DUI it never hurts to find out what the policies are at your workplace.
  • Missed work: Even if you work in a place that doesn’t terminate you due to your DUI arrest or conviction then you still might be in hot water. A conviction can lead to mandatory court appearances, alcohol treatment courses, and even jail time. This would require you to take time out of your day and it could greatly impact your job. Also if you end up getting your license taken away then it might be hard to have reliable transportation. This means you could struggle to get to work each day or have to rely on public transportation or even Uber/Lyft to get to work, which could increase your chances of being late. Being excessively absent or tardy from your job could result in getting fired. So even though the DUI didn’t get you fired, the after effects of it can.
• Loss of professional license – Whether you are a lawyer, nurse, teacher, or even plumber, a DUI arrest or conviction can affect your professional license. Depending on your job or licensing may need to report any criminal arrests or convictions to the agency that issues and maintains your license. Failure to report may lead to the automatic revocation or suspension of your license.
• Failed background checks – A DUI conviction can appear in your criminal background check, which prospective employers often conduct before hiring a potential employee. As we mentioned above many employers have a strict policy against arrests or convictions. So if an employer pulls your background check then they might be reluctant to hire a past criminal or not hire you at all. Many employers are reluctant to hire past criminals not only because they believe they may be likely to re-offend, but they tend to be a liability risk that could lead to increased insurance rates or other issues.
• Denied college applications – In order to ensure the safety of their students may colleges and other higher education institutions have a policy that prohibits acceptance of any candidate with a criminal record. Even if the institution doesn’t have this policy, administrators will typically favor applicants with a clean record over those with a criminal record.
  • Suspension or expulsion – If you are already enrolled in a college, and have been charged with a DUI then this could be considered grounds for suspension or expulsion. Depending on what type of institution you attend then you might have to report the arrest to the university. Once again it is helpful to be knowledgeable so check your student handbook to see if this policy exists at your college or university.
  • Missed classes – Just like the risk of missing work, if you are still a student in college then you might miss some classes. As we mentioned above, conviction can lead to several penalties, losing your driver’s license or having to serve time in jail could lead to being excessively absent or tardy. Depending on your class policies and/or the level of difficulty of the classes missed, then this might affect your graduation date or potentially lead to expulsion.