If you have been charged and arrested for a driving under the influence offense (DUI) in Oakland or in the East Bay area, you have many questions about what to expect. If this is a first DUI charge, you may want to know if you will lose a job if convicted of a DUI. Speak with an Oakland DUI lawyer as soon as possible to discuss your matter. You need a defense lawyer to protect your rights.
You have the option of allowing the state to find you guilty. This is the probable result if you don’t fight the charge against you.
DUI Conviction in Oakland
If you’re convicted, you will face penalties such as AA classes, DUI School (three to nine months), community service, up to five years of community supervision (probation), up to six months’ jail time, a maximum $1,000 fine, and a driver’s license suspension of up to 10 months. If there are aggravating circumstances that resulted from the DUI, such as bodily injury or death, harsher penalties may apply.
Employment after DUI Conviction
It’s logical to wonder if an employer will retain your services after a DUI conviction. The answer is dependent on several factors, including whether you must serve a jail sentence and your employer’s perspective. You may get probation instead of jail. Your employer may like your work and agree to continue the employment relationship.
If your employer is willing to overlook a DUI conviction, that’s excellent news. However, if you must go to jail for six months, the employer will need another person to perform your duties. The bottom line is that your job might not be there when you get out of jail.
Unfortunately, most employers look askance at an employee with a criminal record. If your job involves getting behind the wheel for any reason, if you work with children, if you’re professionally licensed for your job, or if you’re bonded, the employer may conclude that a DUI is bad for business. For that reason, if you’re convicted, there’s a high probability you will lose your job.
California At-Will Employment
Like most states, California is considered an “at-will” employment state. This means an employer has the right to discharge you for any reason other than a discriminatory one. If you’re convicted of a DUI, the employer isn’t discriminating against you under California employment law.
If the employer doesn’t approve of the fact that you’re convicted of driving under the influence, it has the right to terminate your employment. The employer isn’t required by law to explain why it is letting you go. The question concerns how the employer views you or any of its employees getting convicted of a driving under the influence offense.
A DUI conviction will likely affect your livelihood if you’re a teacher, a medical professional, a political servant, a driver, a law enforcement employee, a real estate agent, a commercial trucker, a taxi-Uber-Lyft driver, a military professional, a role requiring security clearance, a government contractor role, or a job that requires a professional license, such as a realtor or notary public.
If you’re facing a DUI charge in Oakland, protect your livelihood by hiring a defense attorney to protect your rights.