DUI convictions can have a wide range of consequences. Not only are fines and license suspensions mandatory, but repeat offences will even result in jail time. Added to this, there are personal consequences, including how it can affect your relationships and your employment.
One of the ways it can affect your work is if you have a professional license. Your actions can put this license at risk and your job under threat. Here, we’ll look at the impact of DUI convictions on professional licenses and what action you should take.
DUI’s and Professional Licensing in Canada
There are many different regulatory bodies in Canada that require professional licensing. Each body will have its own standard to gain entry into the profession. This includes both educational requirements and examinations, but also ethical guidelines.
Many require you to declare any convictions and have the authority to enforce disciplinary action as a result. Depending on the type of organization, these actions can range from a warning all the way to revocation of a license and, therefore, a potential loss of employment.
A DUI conviction is a criminal offence and will result in a criminal record. The consequences of a DUI will depend on a wide range of factors, including the profession. Let’s take a closer look at the potential impact in different fields.
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Medical and Healthcare Professionals
Most healthcare professionals are held to a high ethical standard due to the nature of their work and the trust needed to perform their duties. Due to this, bodies such as the College of Physicians and Surgeons and the College of Nurses require members to have strong moral character. Here are the possible consequences:
Mandatory Reporting – People naturally want as few people to know about a DUI as possible. However, regulatory bodies often require you to disclose any criminal convictions. Not doing so would result in added disciplinary actions.
Disciplinary Hearings – Once you’ve informed them of a DUI, you’ll have a disciplinary hearing. The outcome of this will depend on a wide range of factors, such as the severity of the offence and your position. Outcomes can include fines, rehabilitation, or suspension/revocation of your license.
Future Employment – If you need to change your job to a similar role, a background check may be completed that will show your conviction. Some employers can be reluctant to hire someone with a criminal record and it can make finding new employment much harder.
Legal and Financial Professions
Those in legal and financial professions (such as lawyers and accountants) are also overseen by stringent regulatory bodies. The Law Society of Ontario and the Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada are just two examples, and here are the types of penalties you may face,
Fitness to Practice – The regulatory body will assess whether the DUI will impair someone’s ability to practice in their field. Each body will have its own rules on this but they’ll likely look into your behavior and whether or not it was an isolated incident.
Impact on Licensure – As with all of these regulatory bodies, the disciplinary measures taken can depend on the severity and context of the DUI. If there are aggravating factors, this could lead to revocation of a license.
Client Trust – If a client finds out about a DUI, they may question your judgment. Both the legal and financial professions require a huge amount of trust. A DUI may result in a loss of clients or other business opportunities.
Educators
Teachers are expected to have a strong moral character. They are trusted members of our community, and parents and colleagues expect them to have good judgment. A DUI can undermine all of that, and here are the potential consequences.
Reporting – As with healthcare, it’s highly likely that you’ll have to report your criminal conviction.
Impact on Certification – You’ll be judged on your behaviour and assessed on whether this indicates a negative pattern of behaviour. If it does, then it could be decided that you pose a danger to the students or the integrity of the educational institution.
Employment Consequences – Again, if you lose employment due to your DUI, it can be hard to find new work. You may be faced with looking into a new field of work that won’t require such a stringent background check.
Trades and Engineering
A DUI can affect a trade or engineering role in much the same way as we’ve seen above. Regulatory bodies require you to have good character, and you may face disciplinary action if you’re seen as a risk to the public or their reputation.
An extra way this can affect your employment is with the suspension of your driving license. If your work requires you to drive, this is likely to cause significant issues with your employment. It also means that your insurance rates will go up.
Avoiding a DUI Conviction
If you’re facing a DUI charge and are worried about the consequences, all hope is not lost. An experienced impaired driving lawyer will often find ways to challenge the DUI charge and look to either have you walking away without a guilty verdict or have reduced charges.
For example, if there are doubts about the case, your lawyer may be able to negotiate a plea bargain. This is where you plead guilty in exchange for a lesser charge. While this may still come with a criminal record, it won’t have the same social stigma as a DUI.
In addition, there are many ways to beat the charge if you plead not guilty. This can include challenging the breathalyzer, claiming your rights weren’t respected, or arguing there was a police error during the process.
Due to this, it’s vital to get legal representation from a lawyer with experience in fighting DUI cases. This can potentially help prevent all of the issues we’ve looked at above, and allow you to get on with your life.
Related Article: https://www.agpllp.ca/what-is-a-dui-lawyer-and-why-do-i-need-one/
Final Thoughts
A DUI can have a huge impact on your life. While this applies to everyone, it can be even more damaging for those who require a license or certificate for their work. However, there are ways to challenge the DUI if you’re facing a trial.
It’s important to speak to a lawyer about your case as they may find areas to challenge the DUI that you may not have even considered. If you are looking for legal help, then contact AGP LLP today and we’ll be happy to offer you a consultation.
