When someone gets arrested on drunk driving allegations, their employer certainly may find out about it. It could be in the local news, for instance, or the person may have to spend time dealing with the authorities and not show up for work.
One of the biggest things that people worry about when they are facing these types of criminal charges is that it will have a major impact on their future. They may be concerned that they’re going to be fired and have no income, making that drunk driving conviction far more expensive than just the fines they have to pay. Could this happen to you?
Do you need a professional license?
One thing to ask is if you need a professional license to do your job, such as a nursing license or a commercial driver’s license. The bodies that govern these licenses may consider revoking them, meaning that you wouldn’t necessarily be fired, but it would be impossible for you to work legally in the profession.
Are you an at-will employee?
The next thing to consider is if you are an at-will employee or not. If you are, then your employer can terminate you for any reason that isn’t illegal – such as discrimination. As such, your employer could use their discretion and decide to let you go over the drunk driving allegations. Companies will sometimes have a code of conduct that has to be followed, understanding how the conduct of their employees can impact the business’s reputation. Even contractual employees could be fired under these guidelines.
In other words, there may not be a legal requirement that you lose your job if you’re convicted, but it is still possible. This is just one of the reasons why you need to understand your legal defense options when facing such allegations.