Of all the worries the come with a drunk driving arrest, employment concerns are often near the top. Do you need to tell your boss about a DUI? It depends on what you do for a living.
Does your job involve driving?
If you were convicted of driving under the influence in Florida, your driver’s license will be suspended. Whether you drive an 18-wheeler, deliver pizza or operate a motor vehicle in any other capacity for your job, a suspended license means you cannot perform your duties. Unless you quit, you will have to tell your employer about the situation.
Do you hold a professional license?
Professional license holders may have stricter reporting requirements than the general public. Whether you work in the medical field, are an airline pilot or hold some other professional license, your licensing board may require you to report convictions and even arrests.
What is in your employment contract?
Some employment contracts require employees to divulge information about DUI arrests and other criminal matters. If you are under contract, carefully scrutinize your agreements to determine if you are obligated to report a DUI to your employer.
What about employment applications?
You must answer questions on employment applications truthfully, but there is no reason to divulge more information than is asked. For instance, one question you may encounter on an employment application is: “Have you ever been convicted of a felony?” You can truthfully answer “no” to this question if you were convicted of only misdemeanor DUI and have no felonies on your record.
Protect your rights and reputation
One of the best reasons for aggressively fighting a DUI charge is to avoid any unnecessary problems with your employment. This will not only help you with today’s legal problem but also remove obstacles to finding employment in the future.