Driving while intoxicated is a serious public safety issue. According to the Pennsylvania DUI Association, an average of 29 traffic crashes related to alcohol would occur every day in 2015.
People do more than put other’s lives in danger when getting behind the wheel drunk. They are also putting their own futures in jeopardy. DUI convictions can lead to more than just people losing their licenses. It can also make it much more difficult to hold down a job.
1. Termination of employment
Some employers will simply fire an employee arrested for driving under the influence. People need to check their employee manuals to see if that is the case with their particular organization.
2. Increase in employer’s insurance
An insurance company will most definitely hear about a DUI conviction. If an employee is on a company’s auto insurance policy to operate vehicles or machinery, then insurance rates could skyrocket. Employers may fire workers simply because they do not want to deal with an increase in costs.
3. Loss of professional licenses
Numerous careers require a license to work. These include:
- Plumbers
- Nurses
- Lawyers
- Contractors
People arrested for DUI need to disclose this information to the licensing company. This could result in an immediate loss of license. Certain professionals cannot work without a license.
4. Difficulty in future job applications
In Pennsylvania, employers can only take into consideration an applicant’s criminal record if it would directly impact that person’s ability to perform essential job tasks. For any position that would require the person to drive or operate machinery, an employer may not hire the person based on a DUI.
5. Constant missed work
Between court appearances and potential volunteer work, there is a lot that goes into a DUI arrest. People may need to miss a lot of work, which could lead to losing their job. At the very least, it would mean the person is not making as much money if he or she has an hourly paid position.