Even the accusation of driving under the influence can see severe consequences for your daily life, including your professional life. If your employer catches wind of the arrest or if you are contractually obligated to report it, you may face routine disciplinary action or be placed on suspension. Often worse, however, is attempting to maintain your job performance while simultaneously fighting the charges against you and living with the punishment. In these situations, it is more important than ever to have a skilled DUI attorney at your side to help you stay afloat and mount the strongest legal defense possible to keep your career on track.

Understanding When Your Employment May Be At Stake

Most employers will not fire an employee over a DUI, but certain careers can be directly impacted by an arrest and conviction. Any kind of commercial driver, for example, may be in danger of termination, particularly if your license is revoked as well. If this scenario applies to your role in a company, you will need to talk to your employer about alternative work or a leave period while you sort out your legal issues and attempt to get your driving privileges back. With any luck, your boss will be understanding and at least wait for a conviction before taking decisive action.

Balancing Your Court Case And Your Employment

Similarly, the legal system is not always considerate when it comes to defendants' schedules, and you may experience conflicts with your regular work hours. Your attorney may be able to handle some of these appearances and filings for you and request more accommodating hearing dates, but you should plan on taking some time off to resolve the issue yourself. You might be able to use sick leave or vacation days to cover the gaps, but if not, this is another situation where communication between yourself and your employer becomes crucial.

Fighting For Your License

Without an active driver's license, commuters charged with a DUI must find alternative routes to work. This may involve public transportation, a dusted-off bicycle, or a helpful friend, but it can quickly become a logistical nightmare and leave you running through the door late every other morning. Your attorney can request that your license not be suspended through the appropriate legal channels, which will hopefully allow you to return to your regular commute patterns within a few weeks of your arrest.

Minimizing Jail Or Community Service Time

The best-case scenario when facing DUI charges is to have them dropped entirely, but this isn't always the outcome. You may be sentenced to jail or community service time, depending on the severity of the incident in question and the damage it caused. Because many employers aren't willing to wait for employees to pay off their debt to society, your best bet to keep your job is to hire the most experienced lawyer you can find and present the strongest defense possible. To get started saving your career today, contact a DUI attorney in your area to go over the details of your case and begin planning for the future.