It is a possibility that a DUI arrest will show up on a criminal background check and impact your employment opportunities and car insurance rates. For example, many organizations conduct criminal background checks on prospective employees to ensure their criminal history does not pose a risk to the company. The criminal background check will likely include information about any criminal offenses, including DUI charges, and may also involve questions about any previous arrests.
Having a DUI on your criminal record can be detrimental to your chances of getting hired, as well as to your car insurance rates. This is because a DUI charge is considered a criminal offense and may indicate a lack of responsibility and judgment, which can lead to higher rates for car insurance. This can be especially true if the DUI arrest was a felony rather than a misdemeanor, as this will be viewed more harshly by prospective employers and car insurance companies.
It’s important to keep in mind that once you have a DUI on your record, it will be a part of your criminal history and could potentially affect your employment opportunities and car insurance rates for years to come. This is why it is important to take positive steps to overcome this mistake and show that you have taken responsibility for your actions and are working towards a better future.
1. Mandatory Firing Policy
In this social media-driven world, image is part of the job. Many employers have added conviction of a crime as grounds for firing in their contracts and employee handbooks. Unless it specifically states in your employee handbook that you must tell your employer if you get convicted of a crime, you don’t necessarily need to let them know. However, when applying for a new job, always be honest on the job application. Many positions, such as one that involves any driving for a company, will ask – and check.
2. Punctuality
You may be a great employee, but if you lose your license and have to take public transportation to work, you could be fired for chronic tardiness. If you’re a delivery driver, well, we don’t even need to finish this sentence. If you are put in a position of frequently borrowing a car or renting a car, you should look into purchasing non-owner car insurance. It will save you money in the long run over rental car insurance.
3. Absenteeism
Being arrested for DUI usually means using sick and vacation days to cover imprisonment, court appearances, and mandatory alcohol treatment. You may also have to explain why you need so much time off from work, which could be damaging.
4. Loss of Insurance
Even if your license isn’t suspended, your car insurance company may drop you because a DUI conviction makes you a riskier driver who needs high-risk car insurance. If you drive a company vehicle or construction equipment, your employer may fire you rather than lose its own coverage or pay more for insurance just to keep you on payroll. You may be helpful, professional, and personable, but you’re also replaceable.
In most cases, a conviction for DUI also means you are required to file an SR-22 certificate. An SR-22 certificate typically comes with much higher auto insurance rates – and just because you don’t own a car, you’ll still have to purchase non-owner SR-22 auto insurance.
5. Loss of Your Professional License
Doctors, nurses, lawyers, and other professionals are often required to tell their licensing agency that they were convicted of DUI. Rules vary from state to state and agency to agency, but one thing is for sure: if you lose your license, you lose your livelihood.
6. Loss of Your Commercial Driver’s License
In some states, a DUI remains on your commercial driving record for 55 years. In others, it’s a life-long tarnish. Whether you’re 21 or 51, your commercial vehicle driving career is probably over.
7. Loss of Educational Opportunities
If you lost your commercial driver’s license and you’re thinking about going back to school to pursue a new career, be aware that colleges and universities may ask about criminal convictions. A DUI may even affect your ability to apply for financial aid. Some providers may ask you to prove that you’ve gone through a treatment program.
8. Diversion Program Problems
Your DUI attorney may have convinced a judge to send you to a diversion program instead of jail, but such programs sometimes require mandatory notification of your employer or visits to your workplace. You may be able to skirt these requirements if you prove that your employer has a mandatory firing policy for the conviction of crimes. But if you’re forced to enter a guilty plea to enter a diversion program, and your employer discovers your conviction, you will probably be fired.
9. Loss of Job Opportunities
You may have noticed that most job applications ask if you’ve been convicted of a crime, especially in regards to motor vehicle offenses or any DUI offenses. It is important to be aware of the local laws and regulations surrounding these employment issues.
Before you ask Google whether it’s safe to fib on an application, note that your DUI will appear in public records and your driver’s license records. If you lie and get caught, your employer will not be able to trust you and will most likely let you go. Honesty is the best policy.
The hiring process and pre-employment background check are crucial for the company to determine the applicant’s job prospects and the safety of other employees. Most companies run background checks on a case-by-case basis. If at all possible, have a sit down with a prospective employer and explain the situation and circumstances, focusing on the message that you made a mistake but now you are committed to making better choices, so that they understand your employment history and make informed decisions regarding your job prospects.
Finding Affordable DUI Car Insurance Online
If you have been convicted of DUI, you are most likely looking for a DUI solution to your new issues. Freeway Insurance can help you.
If your insurance company doubled your rates or kicked you to the curb, compare car insurance quotes online with Freeway to find the lowest possible rates. Or call our friendly, professional insurance agents at 877-749-1540 who can help you find a policy that fits your budget. Or stop by in person for a friendly visit at one of our many locations.
