Got a DUI Can I still work in IT or do I have to restart my career?
Posted by FewWash8544@reddit | sysadmin | View on Reddit | 48 comments
Hey everyone, really need some insight if possible!
I am in deep stress thinking at the moment as I have just been found guilty of impaired driving (Ontario Canada) first offence, no one else involved and no other cars were damaged.
How will this now affect my prospects of working?
I am currently trying to move up to system administrator & now I fear getting blocked. I do know since now I will have it on my record it will come in background checks, will I be denied automatically? Will I not be able to work in the field until I can get a pardon after 5 years?
I’ve worked for both government and private sectors so I also hold a reliability clearance as well,
will that now be revoked? Any information experienced or insight that could be provided I’d truly appreciate it
ObjectiveApartment84@reddit
A dui in Canada is a felony guys. It’s more serious than the U.S.
19610taw3@reddit
Depends on the state. In my state it is a felony and will show up on a background check.
Some states like Wisconsin or the Carolinas you can just keep racking them up and never have any consequences for it.
CarnivalCassidy@reddit
We don't have felonies in Canada.
Zromaus@reddit
I didn't even get a backgroungd check at my small MSP lol
tb30k@reddit
Same. But it was a contract for big company through recruiting company lol. A lot of Companies are too cheap to do extensive background checks lol
theoriginalharbinger@reddit
Yeah, OP is hunting for a universal answer where there isn't one to be had.
If it's a company that issues company cars to service their government clients? Probably not happening for a dude with a DUI.
Working for an MSP whose main customer base is local donut shops and fried chicken joints? Probably gonna be fine.
gwatt21@reddit
Depends on the company, some do, some doesn't.
Elensea@reddit
Bro I got denied once because they did a credit check on me in 2010 with me right out of college. Who knows what companies deem appropriate.
MarkOfTheDragon12@reddit
Unless you're still sitting in prison or barred from driving to work (and have no mass transit option) I cannot fathom how in any way shape or form that matters for an IT job whatsoever.
It's no business of your employers if you have legal complications unless it directly effects your work performance. Hell, they shouldn't even be asking the details, only whether or not you had to take days off or are unable to perform your role.
traumalt@reddit
A basic criminal check was a requirement for any IT job I had, and that’s on two different continents.
DoctorOctagonapus@reddit
"Do you have any unspent criminal convictions" is a standard question asked by just about every employer in the UK. My employer's guidance is if an applicant admits to anything, the interviewers should make an assessment based on the offence and the applicant's character to see if it would cause any issues. They also carry out a basic background check for everyone they offer a job to, so if you lie you'll get found out.
Serious_Cobbler9693@reddit
Any job dealing with criminal justice (government, private sector supporting government, etc) will need CJIS checks which includes full background and will DQ. We had to let a really great network engineer go because he got a DUI.
malwareguy@reddit
At most of my job's it would have been an immediate disqualification. Sysadmin work's is typically considered a high trust position where you have keys to the kingdom / keys to some kingdoms. Getting a DUI means you've exhibited poor decision making skills at a pretty high level and risked your life / the lives of other folks around you. How many hiring managers want to take that risk even IF there is no HR policy that would have blocked the hire.
Of course context matters, if the person is 40 and the DUI was when they were 22, sure I wouldn't care. But if it was recently, yep, not risking my own career on what my leadership would consider a poor hiring decision.
TopTax4897@reddit
There are some MSP's or travel related jobs that may care. These are the exception though.
CarnivalCassidy@reddit
As long as the job doesn't require driving a company vehicle, you should be fine.
CeC-P@reddit
For hospital IT, you just qualified yourself to work level 1-3 support. After seeing my crews over the years, I just assumed having a DUI, being mentally ill, or faking your drug test was a requirement.
But for real, lots of desperate companies pay high and overlook some things if you're overqualified and will stick around.
Speaking of that, mid-size companies purpose do not hire "the best" candidate because the best candidate leaves for another company once they pick up certs and more exp on their resume. Just a little tip I was told from my last HR dept.
SevaraB@reddit
Can’t tell you about Canadian clearance or Canadian business’ tolerance for hiring people with infractions. In the US, not really a big deal as long as you’re transparent and take accountability unless you’re, say, driving to customer appointments as one of your primary responsibilities. But it probably would get a US clearance revoked, so I would assume Canada would strip clearance as well.
xendr0me@reddit
This day in age, I'd expect most sysadmins to have a DUI on their resume, drinking is probably the only thing that keeps are hands steady at this point with all the BS going on :O
beren0073@reddit
Alcohol, anxiety medication, or a willingness to trust in a supreme entity or force. Pick 3 of 3.
BJMcGobbleDicks@reddit
I was 3 of 3. Then I was hospitalized with diabetes and can’t drink anymore. So I’m 2 of 3 now.
Ssakaa@reddit
Yeah, I'd give up on religion at that point too.
SenTedStevens@reddit
Is your name Bob?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2odPXDnDmk
poizone68@reddit
A former colleague told me that working in IT is probably one of the highest causes of divorce :)
AggravatingAmount438@reddit
Our senior networking engineer before he quit was always plastered at work.
I'm not really a drinker or smoker, but a lot of us are.
I think you'll probably be fine (Outside of government roles), but you should really take accountability. Drinking a driving will kill innocent people. And it took until my uncle almost killed a little girl before he stopped.
bazjoe@reddit
Honestly can’t see why it would matter but there is the concern of legally driving a company car and then the background check. I guess this is an additional justification why if you need to spend 5-6k on legal then you got to.
isthewebsitedown@reddit
I know of a guy, ex-employee actually, that has multiple DUIs, multiple assault charges, hot checks, credit card fraud, 200 unpaid toll fines and who WENT TO FEDERAL PRISON for computer related crimes against his employer after he rage quit. Got investigated by the secret service and found guilty.
He still gets new jobs in IT.
tarvijron@reddit
I’m gonna guess you’re in the US
isthewebsitedown@reddit
Not just the US. Texas. Yee-haw.
evopb@reddit
You go big in Texas, or something like that...
likablestoppage27@reddit
my former Sales VP was arrested for a assault and almost did time
you'll be fine
ballzsweat@reddit
DUI’s are almost mandatory is an IT career! If you drive for the job then you’re screwed.
fdeyso@reddit
Sounds like management 😂
Jazzlike-Vacation230@reddit
You may need to switch to a career as a republican politician
tristand666@reddit
Sorry, you can only work at Waffle House now.
drkstar1982@reddit
Boy i hope he can fight!
janzendavi@reddit
Almost never comes up and I know that a few of my colleagues over the years have had a DUI. Only time, in Canada at least, I’ve had to do criminal records checks were when I was working with orgs that had vulnerable people as clients or law firms/banks/hospitals and even then it’s not all the time. Seems perhaps more common in the US when I’ve worked with American companies but, again, rare. Internal promotions wouldn’t do background checks typically either so perhaps something else is getting in the way - has your drinking impacted your performance at work?
davidokongo@reddit
It depends really. Some gouvernement entities and insurance/banks will deny you. But other companies will gladly take you in as long as it's not related to your work.
I know people that have criminal records and still works in IT. So keep your hopes up!
SystemAny2077@reddit
You will be fine 95% of the time.
It may limit you if you’re looking for a new job, but even that isn’t likely unless it’s something where you will be driving a company vehicle.
justaguyonthebus@reddit
I don't know, I think Canadians take DUI seriously. They won't allow us in your country if we have one.
willingzenith@reddit
This is true. I had one 35+ years ago as a US resident. Canada won’t let me in.
1d0m1n4t3@reddit
As an American I probably wouldn't hire someone with a DUI but I do have some personal bias after almost being killed by one and spending a month hospitalized.
tarvijron@reddit
Uhh
tarvijron@reddit
In my day a DUI was a preferred qualification for a sysadmin.
apandaze@reddit
maybe
Vegetable-Ad-1817@reddit
know people that work in intelligence with worse crimes than that, but then again it entirely depends on the country and companies your working with
anothernerd@reddit
Need dui lawyer
thortgot@reddit
As long as you disclose you should be fine in most organizations. It will DQ you from some but that's life.
Jealous-Bit4872@reddit
Our policy is you’ll be disqualified for any sort of theft or crime involving breach of trust. This wouldn’t matter at my company (not in Canada, so for what it’s worth)