Being arrested for driving under the influence (DUI) in Florida carries significant negative consequences. One of them is an adverse impact on your employment. If you have a DUI record, it is normal to feel scared or anxious about what this could mean for your future. An effective approach to overcome this situation is to understand how your case could affect your career and what you can do moving forward.
Will your DUI record limit employment prospects?
Employers in Florida conduct background checks to assess if you are a good fit for their culture and environment. This process often includes:
- Criminal background check: This reveals your history of arrests and charges related to DUI.
- Driving record check: This informs the employer about your DUI record as a traffic violation.
Through these verification steps, employers will learn about your existing case. This information could influence their decision to refuse your application due to the following circumstances:
- The offense resulted in a criminal conviction.
- The position is in a sensitive field, such as transportation, health care and child care.
- The employer finds that your case could potentially put the business at risk.
While these reasons could be true for your case, some employers in Florida offer leniency and may still consider your interest in their available job openings.
Can you lose your job because of a DUI?
Florida employers practice ‘at-will’ employment, meaning that they can fire you at any time for any reason. They can decide if your DUI case, regardless of whether it is a misdemeanor or felony, threatens their company’s image or productivity, and terminate you on the spot.
What can you do to reduce the impact of a DUI on employment?
Compared to other states, Florida does not permit the expungement of DUI convictions. However, even if your charge stays on your public record permanently, employment is still possible.