If you thought that having a DUI conviction isn’t a big deal, think again. There can be lifetime consequences – especially if you plan to look for a job. Here, DUI attorney Claiborne Ferguson of the Claiborne Ferguson Law Firm in Memphis, Tennessee, talks about job hunting when you don’t have a clean driving history.
Many businesses will require a clean driving history, free of any DUI conviction, prior to hiring you. The reason is simple: Any DUI conviction would either increase their insurance rates or quite possibly they would be unable to insure their new employee. It’s costly for them, so they don’t want to do it.
Impossible to Expunge
Here in the state of Tennessee, if you have a DUI conviction on your record, it will stay there indefinitely. It is not really possible to expunge it from your record. People who are successfully able to do that are only those who have had the case dismissed against them in court, or those who were found not guilty or received a deferred disposition.
If that happens, however, you are not entirely in the clear. You will still need to hire an experienced and competent DUI attorney to have the case expunged from your record. It won’t just disappear on its own, which unfortunately is a mistake many people are prone to make. They assume if they were found not guilty the conviction disappears. That’s incorrect.
Are you Entitled to a Clean Driving History?
It’s important that you have a clean driving history if you are entitled to one. If not, you can have problems when applying for a new job, especially if detailed background checks are involved. It’s always a good idea, in this case, to look at your criminal record check, much as you would your credit rating.
It is thought that certain professions may be more forgiving of people with DUI convictions, for example skilled trades (ones that do not require driving) such as builders. Professions that may be the least forgiving are those in the medical arena, or those which would require working with children.
A DUI conviction could easily prevent you from getting the job you want – and the job you deserve. It’s not worth drinking and driving, for now or the future. Remember, how your conviction will affect you will depend on each individual employer, but it’s always better not to have a conviction in the first place.
