Impact of An Annapolis DUI Charge on Employment

When someone is employed by the federal government, in the private sector, or even if a prospective opportunity comes up and a person is going to apply, a DUI can have adverse effects both immediately and years down the road. Someone may see the DUI on a person’s record as a pending matter, however, the government has a unique amount of access because they use their background checks and services through the FBI.

With that said, a DUI charge can have a much more severe effect on an individual’s employment than one might think. Consequently, if you are facing such a charge, it is imperative that you contact an experienced Annapolis DUI attorney immediately. A knowledgeable lawyer may be able to help effectively reduce or dismiss any penalties associated with your charge.

Disclosing the Charge

Maryland DUI convictions are not expungable. Only if a person is found not guilty can their DUI record be expunged. Individuals often wonder what to disclose if they are found not guilty and the record is expunged. A person should disclose that on a specific date and time, they were in a specific county and were stopped and issued a citation for an alleged DUI and the matter was dismissed. An individual should state that they were found not guilty. The person should then state that that was the disposition of the court and the person followed the ways to expungement.

Many employers ask the person if they were ever cited for an alcohol or related drug offense involving a motor vehicle, especially if a person is applying for something where they are driving regularly, or driving a company vehicle or a commercial vehicle. The ways these entities do background checks can vary. However, they can sometimes have unlimited government resources and FBI special agents who can do background checks, especially if a person is looking for employment that involves security clearances.

The private sector sometimes purchases packets or goes through investigative companies that pull records for them and look for certain things. Prospective employers can see how honest and candid a person is. If a person has gotten a record expunged, it has been erased and will not be on an individual’s record.

Explaining the Incident

When someone has an employer who really wants to employ that person, they may want to know a bit more about the incident. If a person wants to tell them, they should. A person could explain that they were stopped for a DUI, hired an attorney, and received a probation before judgment. Because it was not a conviction, an individual may have answered no to the question about being convicted of a crime on the employment certification. But fairly, they wanted to disclose that the event did occur and they went to an alcohol education program.

It is important for an individual to disclose what feels comfortable in reference to their DUI charge. An individual should best read their environment in determining how an Annapolis DUI charge can affect their employment.

Impact of a DUI Conviction During Employment

If someone’s employer requires that they drive the company vehicle, they can potentially lose their employment because they are a risk. They could increase the cost of the company’s insurance, and may have to give up the company vehicle. When someone is labeled as a risk, it is not in the employer’s best interest to keep them around.

If a person is driving commercially and they get a DUI, they will lose their license and privileges for a minimum of a year. If a person is issued a DUI while driving on the job, they may be seen as a liability by their employer. With Maryland being an at-will employment state, that could be grounds for firing. It is important for an individual to consult with an attorney to determine how exactly an Annapolis DUI charge may affect their employment.