Colorado State Patrol
With the new year comes new goals, but your plans will need to change for anyone convicted of DUI this holiday season.
Last Christmas and New Year’s Eve holiday, Colorado State troopers arrested 57 drivers for DUI, in addition to investigating 31 crashes caused by an impaired driver.
Many professions have strict policies regarding licensing, conduct and criminal history when DUI is involved. Some of these industries include health care professionals, licensed professionals (teachers, pilots, lawyers, etc.), law enforcement, and workers who operate heavy machinery or equipment.
“A DUI, whether misdemeanor or felony, is a criminal charge that never goes away,” explained Col. Matthew C. Packard, chief of the Colorado State Patrol. “Consequences will vary based on employer and can harm your professional opportunities, reputation and relationships.”
Other immediate impacts include:
Time away from work: DUIs require extensive time in court, treatment and screenings. Since many of these services operate during business hours only, you will likely miss a considerable amount of time from work to meet court requirements.
Disciplinary action and professional licensing issues: Your company may have specific rules associated with DUI that could result in duty modification, loss of employment, loss of license or demotion.
Difficulty commuting/work schedule: A suspended driver’s license could make it impossible to get to work, particularly in areas with limited public transportation.
Career path limitations: Some industries, like law enforcement, finance and health care, have strict policies against hiring people with criminal records, which could end a career path.
Barrier to new employment: DUIs are visible on background checks and could eliminate you from consideration for new employment. From an employer’s perspective, an employee or job candidate with a DUI could be considered a high risk. If the applicant pool has other qualified candidates, there is little reason for an employer to take a chance on a potential problem employee.
Employees with alcohol problems can be costly for businesses by increasing an employer’s liability risk. Certain professionals and industries may also have strict licensing and regulatory requirements that disqualify individuals with a DUI history.