When the topic of a DUI conviction is raised, most people think of losing their driver’s license and having to rely on family and friends for rides. Others think of jail time and fines. The little-known truth is a DUI conviction has the potential to ruin your career.
DUI is a Serious Offense in the State of Arizona
To say the state of Arizona takes DUI seriously would be an egregious understatement. Our state has some of the harshest DUI penalties in the land. If you are found guilty of DUI, the results will last for years. Your driver’s license will be suspended. You will have to pay fines. Furthermore, DUI might prevent you from earning a living or at least climbing the career ladder.
DUI in the Context of Employment
DUI can impact a professional’s fingerprint clearance card. This card is obtained through the state’s Department of Police Safety. A growing number of occupations require this clearance card. As an example, teachers need a fingerprint clearance card to remain employed in their profession in the state of Arizona. The purpose of this card is to clear the individual’s fingerprints and function as evidence that he or she does not have a criminal record. However, if the individual in question is found guilty of DUI, the fingerprint clearance card can be either restricted or suspended. A restricted or suspended fingerprint clearance card will make it difficult to obtain employment with the state as well as some other employers.
Aside from losing your driver’s license, a DUI conviction will also prevent you from being able to operate a motor vehicle as a component of your job for a full five years. It will be awfully difficult to explain this restriction to your employer, especially if driving is a primary component of your job. Furthermore, plenty of Arizona companies have zero tolerance for those found guilty of crimes. If you get a DUI, you might be fired right away. Businesses with especially lofty ethical standards sometimes put clauses in employment contracts that allow for immediate termination following a DUI or another criminal conviction.
Looking to Start a Career? You Better Not Have a DUI on Your Record
A DUI can even make it difficult to obtain the qualifications necessary to obtain employment. If you are looking to add to your skill base and obtain gainful employment, do not drive drunk. If you are found guilty of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, you might be ineligible for the financial assistance you desperately need to pursue your degree or certification.
Arizona DUI Penalties can Derail Your Career
Take a moment to think about how dependent you are on your vehicle for work and life in general. You drive your car to and from work five days a week. You need your vehicle to go to the store to buy groceries, have a social life, and generally enjoy your surrounding community. If you are found guilty of DUI, your driver’s license will be suspended. This suspension will last at least 90 days. Can you imagine going three months or longer without your vehicle? How you would get to work and elsewhere without a vehicle? You would have to take the bus or rely on others to drive you to and from work. Relying on others is not in your interest as no one is as reliable as you.
Imagine a scene in which you return to work after your DUI and your co-workers see you hopping out of an Uber as you arrive at work. You will have to explain what happened to your car and driver’s license. Word will get around that you have a DUI offense and your reputation at work will take a major hit. Furthermore, you will have to spend at least one day in jail after your first DUI offense in the state of Arizona. This means you will not be able to work the day after your DUI offense, making you look that much worse in the eyes of your workplace superiors.
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