Can a Calgary DUI Cost Me My Job?

A lot can happen if you're arrested for a DUI in Calgary, and it can happen quickly. Immediate and automatic license suspensions, administrative penalties and criminal charges, vehicle seizures and required attendance at safe driving courses, and those are just the legal ramifications spelled out in Alberta's impaired driving laws.

There's also the stress that facing these charges can cause for you and your family, the practical transportation difficulties of losing your license and/or your vehicle, even in the short term, and the onus of having a DUI charge following you for the rest of your life.

Many people in Calgary accused of impaired driving have another question for their defence lawyer: can my employer fire me for a DUI charge or conviction?

It's a question that doesn't necessarily have a simple answer, but one thing is true: the faster you deal with your charge, the easier it will be to resume life as usual.

How a Calgary DUI Defence Lawyer Can Help Protect Your Job

A big part of any DUI defence lawyer's job is getting their clients' lives back on track as completely and as quickly as possible. Losing your job because of an impaired driving charge would be a significant setback; unfortunately, there is nothing in Alberta's current Employment Standards Code that offers protection to employees who have been accused of a crime, let alone convicted of one.

There's no telling what any employer would do, but there's no limiting what they can do.

In essence, your employer is able to terminate your employment for any reason that is not what is called a "protected ground", things like age, gender, race, and other specified personal attributes. It is possible for an employer to fire you for a DUI conviction, and if your job depends on your driving ability and your license is suspended, your inability to perform the required job duties could be grounds for immediate termination.

Contacting Calgary DUI defence lawyer immediately after you've been arrested or charged increases the chances that your charge can be dealt with swiftly and with complete confidentiality. If the charge is dismissed, your employer need not every find out it was laid against you in the first place. A lawyer with experience handling impaired driving cases may also be able to an immediate license suspension following a DUI charge, meaning your commute and your job performance won't be affected.

The faster and more effectively you respond to an impaired driving charge, the sooner you'll be able to put the case behind you. Don't let a DUI accusation interrupt your life, your family, or your job, get the help you need from a legal professional.

Contact a Calgary DUI Defence Lawyer for a Free Consultation

It's your defence lawyer's job to make sure your life continues with as much normalcy as possible, protecting your rights and steering your case to the best possible outcome. Reaching out sooner rather than later is in your best interests, and you can start with a free, no obligation phone call. For a no-cost consultation with compassionate Calgary defence lawyer Susan Karpa, please contact her office.