When you received your first conviction for DWI, the penalties were not nearly as severe as they were years later for a second arrest and an Aggravated Driving While Intoxicated conviction. Now you are looking for a job as a convicted felon. What are the chances that you will be hired?
Understanding terms
In the state of New York, you can be charged with aggravated DWI if your blood alcohol content level is .18 percent or above, and the offense will be classed as a misdemeanor. However, if, at the time of your second arrest, you had a passenger aged 15 or younger in the vehicle, you are looking at a Class E Felony.
Facing penalties
A first AGG DWI conviction would be accompanied by fines of up to $2,500, a year in prison and revocation of your driver’s license for at least a year. Your second conviction, the one that is a Class E Felony, comes with license revocation for at least 18 months, up to $5,000 in fines and the possibility of up to four years behind bars.
Looking for work
Even a first offense may make it difficult for you to find the job you want. A felony conviction, on the other hand, is almost certain to have an adverse effect on your job search. Most employers perform a background check on potential employees. You may have the necessary qualifications for the position, but the employer may choose another candidate who is also qualified and who has a clean driving record. The recruiter may be reluctant to hire you thinking that you may still drink and could, therefore, miss days of work or, worse yet, come to work drunk.
There forever
Looking for work becomes even more difficult if you have lost your license and cannot drive. The felony mark on your record will be there forever. However, keep in mind that there is no law that forbids an employer from hiring you because of your drunk driving conviction. It is up to you to convince a company representative that you will be a good employee despite the mistakes of the past.