You were warned about getting behind the wheel after having happy hour drinks with work colleagues. However, you ignored those words of advice from a concerned coworker.
Only minutes from home, you see the flashing lights of a police squad car in your rearview mirror. If you only listened, now you face punishment that goes beyond jail, probation, a fine and loss of driver’s license. A DUI conviction also may affect your employment status.
Suspension, termination and shrinking paycheck
What can be worse than going to jail and the loss of your personal reputation? Placing your professional career in jeopardy may not necessarily be worse but would definitely be on par.
Here is what a DUI conviction may do to your career:
- The loss, suspension or forfeiture of your professional license: Certain professions require a state license to practice. This list may include attorneys, teachers, physicians, nurses, psychologists and real estate agents. Governing boards within Texas may suspend or terminate your professional license permanently or indefinitely. In some cases, people may simply have to forfeit their licenses.
- The termination or suspension from your occupation: Most employers will frown upon your situation. Many companies have codes of conduct in place, and you have violated them. Termination or suspension may be in store. In some cases, an employer may provide you with a choice: check yourself into a substance abuse rehabilitation or get fired.
- The loss or income and work hours: You will likely miss significant work hours, forced to meet with your attorney, appear in court and complete your sentencing. Expect a shrinking paycheck if you still have a job.
- Employment opportunities drying up: Prospective employers typically conduct background checks on job applicants. They likely will discover your DUI conviction, leading to them discarding your resume.
A DUI conviction may endanger your career. This may be a consequence that many people had not considered after an arrest.
Retain a skilled attorney
A few hidden costs surface related to a DUI conviction. One may be the loss of your job. This is why you need an experienced and skilled attorney who will collaborate with judges and prosecutors to get a DUI charge reduced or dismissed.