What to Tell Employers After a DUI Arrest in Maryland

Getting arrested for driving while under the influence of alcohol can have serious consequences. Not only can it have an effect on your personal life and driving privileges, but it may impact your employment. Depending on the nature of your employment, you may be required to notify your employer of your arrest. A knowledgeable attorney could help you determine what to tell your employer after a DUI arrest in Maryland.

Does an Individual Have to Notify their Employer of their DUI Arrest?

In Maryland, what individuals need to tell their employers about their DUI arrest depends on their relationship. There is no general law or rule that requires an employee to notify their employer of an arrest of this nature.

An employer will find out about an employee’s DUI arrest only if they are proactive. The records of these arrests are publicly accessible within a couple of days. While they are not published publicly, they are accessible via the public case search or by visiting the local county clerk’s office and requesting the file. If an employer does not regularly check employee backgrounds, or if the traffic stop was not in the news, it is unlikely an employer will find out about a DUI arrest if the employee does not tell them.

However, some jobs and institutions may require this disclosure as part of their employment contract. In these situations, failure to notify an employer could subject someone to sanctions or termination of their employment. Some government positions requiring security clearances have these reporting requirements. These requirements also typically describe how specific the information must be when an employee provides it.

How to Determine if Notifying an Employer is Required

A DUI attorney could help an individual determine if an employer needs to be informed of their arrest in Maryland. They could do this by reviewing the person’s situation with regards to the nature of their employment and whether they have a security clearance. Some positions require that the person immediately report any arrest. Otherwise, there is no obligation that they report to their place of employment that they are facing drinking while driving charges.

Other types of jobs may require that they be able to drive, such as delivery drivers. Often, those kinds of employers either regularly or automatically receive information when an employee is arrested for drinking while driving. If a lawyer ascertains that it is a position of this kind, they may advise an accused individual to notify their employer rather than them learning the information some other way.

Additionally, legal counsel may need to know who must be notified, information about the arrest, the law enforcement agency that executed the arrest, and the location of the arrest. This information may help inform the attorney as to how the particulars about an arrest may be distributed to interested entities.

Contact a Maryland Attorney to Learn What to Tell an Employer Following a DUI Arrest

A DUI attorney could assist someone with their employer, their standing at school, or their living situation by explaining the nature of their arrest, especially if they have yet to be convicted. In addition to helping someone deal with their employer, a DUI attorney in Maryland could help minimize the short-term and long-term effects of an arrest or charge. For instance, a person’s driving privileges could be affected and an attorney could pursue a hearing with the MVA to challenge any issue of suspension.

One of the best ways a lawyer could minimize the long-term effects is by seeking a non-conviction resolution, such as probation before judgment, getting a docket put on hold, or pursuing a dismissal or acquittal at trial. This way, a person may not have a conviction on their record, and if a court dismisses a person’s case, the arrest could be expunged. To learn what to tell employers after a DUI arrest in Maryland, contact a lawyer at our office today.