A driving under the influence (DUI) charge will probably cause a lot of stress in your life. You might have to go to court. A conviction could mean jail time, probation, fines and the loss of your license.
It will also mean public records of your infraction will become accessible to anyone who performs a background check on you. Criminal records can affect everything from your housing options to your future employment.
If you apply for a new job in Kentucky, will your DUI conviction affect your chances of getting hired?
Employers do have a right to perform a background check
Any criminal activity could have implications about your job performance or the risks you pose for your future employer. Particularly for those who require state licensing, a criminal background check can be a very important part of the hiring process.
The same is true for those who will drive on the job or who will work with either children or vulnerable adults. Many companies have strict policies about not hiring those with criminal records, even if the only offense that a background check discovers is an impaired driving charge.
Even if your record itself isn’t an issue, the loss of your license could be a problem. Starting a new job means establishing a reputation with a new company and group of co-workers. When you can’t drive to work, you may develop tardiness or absentee issues that were never a problem before. You may seem unreliable, which could hurt your chances of keeping the job or moving up at that company.
Can you just expunge the state record of your DUI?
Those who avoid future criminal issues after a conviction can qualify for an expungement of their prior record. Most of the time, people can ask for the removal of blemishes from their criminal record five years later. However, DUI offenses continue to build upon one another for 10 years after a conviction.
Each subsequent DUI charge will have more serious penalties than the one before it. To ensure fair sentencing, Kentucky limits the expungement of DUI offenses differently than other misdemeanor offenses.
Fighting back against allegations of impaired driving will usually have less of an impact on future employment opportunities than pleading guilty. Recognizing the impact of pending charges can help motivate you to plan a strong defense.