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Career impact of a DUI

A penalty for a DUI conviction in Georgia could be 24 hours in jail (which, if you are lucky, could be waived) and a fine of $300. While this may seem like a slap on the wrist, the impact on your career may be far more devastating.

When looking for a job

It can be difficult to explain a DUI charge on your record to someone you are trying to impress to give you the opportunity you are looking for. With hundreds of applications employers receive, it doesn’t take much for them to toss yours aside and move to the person whose record is clean.

Other companies have a strict code of conduct of not hiring a person with a criminal record. They feel it would jeopardize their business reputation or put their employees and customers at risk.

However, getting a job after being convicted of a DUI is not impossible. You may need to be more honest about your conviction up front and sell yourself harder in the interview process.

A conviction and your current job

If you are employed when you are convicted of a DUI, there is a chance you can lose your job because of it. Many employers have zero-tolerance policies for drinking and driving. You will likely face termination if you have this policy in place.

Moreover, Your boss may not trust you as much or give you the same opportunities as someone without a DUI. They might even pass you up for promotions.

Most people think that they can avoid all these problems once they get their records expunged. Well, most employers won’t have access to a sealed criminal history, but others like government agencies may still get their hands on them. Besides, it takes several years for your record to be expunged, which means always explaining to new employers why you made a mistake once. And so, it’s always advisable to avoid drinking and driving at all costs.

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