Tennessee residents may not be aware of the long term effects that DUI-related felony convictions can have on their ability to find new jobs or remain employed. The truth of the matter is that DUI convictions will follow a person for a long time to come, impacting everything job-related in their near future.
PBS.org had an Ask the Headhunter segment in which it was asked if someone with a DUI will have trouble getting a job. Truthfully, a DUI conviction or charge will always come to light during the interviewing process due to the background checks that will likely be performed. It will look worse if a person tries to hide or lie about their DUI charges or convictions, and this deception can cost them a job faster than the DUI itself. It's possible for these convictions to make an employee too wary to hire a person. In some cases, they simply won't hire someone with a DUI due to the nature of the job, such as a chauffeur or delivery drivers.
Findlaw states that there are certain restrictions on background checks, however. For example, if a person was arrested on criminal charges 7 years ago but never convicted, the Fair Credit Reporting Act disallows this from being reported. Actual convictions, on the other hand, can potentially be reported indefinitely, which can be a huge blow to a person's ability to find a job willing to take a "gamble" on them. Charges can also still show up below the 7-year mark, which is a long time for charges to haunt a person.
Unfortunately, many jobs will make kneejerk judgments against people with DUI-related convictions or charges. Though charges are less severe than convictions, both can have a hefty impact on a person's ability to stay employed or seek new employment.