A DUI conviction does not only have criminal consequences for drivers, it can also have severe career consequences. For individuals who work in the public sector and other types of professional positions, a DUI arrest could result in immediate termination from their jobs. In other cases, a DUI conviction, could result in a black mark on a professional’s record that could follow the person for years.
These days, it is standard procedure for many New Jersey companies to perform a background check on their prospective hires. A prior DUI conviction will likely show up on such a background search and it could result in the driver being disqualified from employment at the organization — this is especially true for any one who is involved in a profession that requires driving.
Fourteen states offer some level of privacy protections to potential employees subjected to background checks; however, New Jersey is not one of them. A DUI conviction could show up on a background check depending on how it is carried out and this is certainly not a good thing when trying to put one’s best foot forward during the interview and vetting process.
In some situations, following a DUI conviction, it is possible to clear a convicted driver’s record, but that depends on the rules and regulations surrounding the level of the offense and the timing of when the offense occurred. For example, in some situations expungement is possible, where an arrest record is sealed from having its details revealed in future background searches.
New Jersey residents convicted of DUI may want to discuss their criminal background record with an experienced criminal defense attorney who can offer advice about whether the record could be expunged of the defense and how to go about the process.
Source: FindLaw, “DUI and Employment Background Checks,” accessed May 06, 2016
