If you have been convicted of drunk driving in Florida, you can be at risk of losing your job. According to AOL, whether you will be fired or not for a DUI depends on where you work, your employer’s policies and the law. It may also be affected by the sentence you received as part of your conviction.
Many employers have policies in place that allow them to fire you if you are convicted of a crime. They do not have to give you notice. Once they find out you have been convicted, they can terminate your employment with no repercussions because this is generally tied into the agreements you signed when you applied for and accepted the job. Time off work due to court appearances and jail time may also violate company policies. Unless your employer is willing to work with you, they could fire you for not meeting company attendance requirements.
In some situations, employers have no choice but to let you go. Certain professions, such as law enforcement and medical occupations, make it illegal for a person convicted of certain crimes to work in those fields. You could possibly even lose any professional licenses you hold because of the DUI.
If your driver’s license is suspended, you obviously would lose your job if it requires you to have a valid license. You would no longer be insurable under the company’s policy and no longer able to do the duties your job requires.
In many cases, if your employment is at-will, your employer can fire you at any time and a DUI conviction can give them a good excuse for doing so. In addition, if you have a contract, many times they will stipulate that you will lose your job if you are convicted of a crime. The reality is that being caught drinking and driving can and may very likely cost you your job. This information is only intended to educate and should not be interpreted as legal advice.
