Seeking Employment in Colonial Heights After a DUI

Applying for a new job can be stressful, especially when someone has a criminal record. Employers in Colonial Heights sometimes run background checks on new employees, and they may reject a candidate if they find a conviction. For this reason, seeking employment in Colonial Heights after a DUI conviction can be a difficult process.

If you were accused of a DUI, you should see how a veteran defense attorney could help. A skilled lawyer could fight for a positive resolution to your case to protect your employment opportunities in the future.

How a DUI Conviction can Affect Employment

If a prospective employer sees a DUI conviction on a record, it could impact someone’s chances of getting a job. Generally, a person does not want to have any kind of criminal history when they are trying to get a new job, but the impact depends on the employer.

Virginia is an employment-at-will state, so someone could be fired or hired for anything other than membership in a protected class. The protected classes in Colonial Heights are:

  • Race
  • Gender
  • Age
  • Sex

Having a criminal record does not fall in a protected class, so an employer could reject a candidate because of that. It is going to come down to who the employer is, what their values are, and how they view a DUI.

Explaining a Criminal Record to an Employer

Most job applications are going to ask a person if they have any felony or misdemeanor convictions in the last five years. If they do, the employers always have a couple of lines on the application to give them an opportunity to explain what those are. That is going to be the initial opportunity to explain the DUI.

After that, if the individual is called back in for an interview, it is almost a guarantee that they would be questioned by the employer about the incident. That is going to be the next opportunity to explain it away and give someone an opportunity to be hired.

Driver’s License Suspension

The longest-term impact of a DUI conviction is going to be suspension of a driver’s license. The main reason that is such a problem when it comes to DUI is that when somebody is applying for a restricted driver’s license, the court asks them where they work. If someone already has a job, it is fine. They could just place that information on the restricted driver’s license application and they are good to go.

However, if someone is trying to get a new job, a suspended license makes it difficult because. A prospective employee has to let their new employer know that they have a DUI conviction, and it is so recent that their privilege to drive has been suspended. Normally, that is going to be a big red flag to employers.

Consult with a Colonial Heights DUI Attorney

If you were accused of driving under the influence, you should understand that seeking employment in Colonial Heights after a DUI conviction may become difficult. The best way to avoid the long-term consequences of a criminal record is to avoid a conviction in the first place. For help with your case, consult with an experienced DUI defense attorney. They could fight tirelessly for a favorable resolution to your case.