| Although you won't find "loss of job" listed in | | | | driving. The job implications of this in-car breath test |
| Washington state's DUI laws, a drunk driving arrest can | | | | device are ominous: Not many employers want ignition |
| have a devastating impact upon your continued | | | | interlock devices installed in company cars, and few |
| employment. If you need to drive to get to work, or | | | | potential clients are impressed by a sales person who |
| you must drive to do your job, a DUI arrest in | | | | is required to drive an ignition interlocked vehicle. This is |
| Washington state sets in motion two ways you can | | | | a disastrous situation for sales persons such as real |
| suffer due to loss of your license: | | | | estate agents. |
| (1) administratively at the hands of the Department of | | | | Beyond this, individuals who must travel for business |
| Licensing | | | | and then who must rent cars at destination sales |
| (2) by court action if you are subsequently convicted | | | | locations will be unable to rent cars during the time an |
| of DUI. | | | | ignition interlock is required, thus impacting the ability to |
| In Washington state, when a breath test was taken | | | | travel for business. At present, no car rental agencies |
| and the result was .08 or higher, the Department of | | | | are known to have ignition interlock equipped vehicles |
| Licensing will seek to administratively suspend your | | | | in their fleets. |
| license even if you are not charged with the crime of | | | | All of the above applies where a license suspension |
| DUI. In most cases you will be eligible to apply for a | | | | was administratively imposed by the Washington State |
| temporary restricted license but only after you have | | | | Department of Licensing. It gets worse if there is a DUI |
| served thirty days of the suspension. (You must wait | | | | conviction, even if the driver previously had a clean |
| at least 90 days to apply for a temporary restricted | | | | record. |
| license if you have refused the breath test.) Thus, if | | | | Even with no prior record, up to a year in jail can be |
| your job absolutely depends upon driving, a DUI arrest | | | | imposed and if the breath test was refused, a |
| can make you unable to perform your job for a | | | | two-year license revocation is imposed. Then, the |
| minimum of thirty days. | | | | ignition interlock requirement exists for one year after |
| IF you survive the thirty days of absolute suspension, | | | | the suspension has been served. |
| you are then eligible for a temporary restricted license | | | | If there is a prior DUI offense within seven years of |
| which will permit you to drive to and from work for the | | | | the date of the arrest for the current incident, things |
| remaining sixty days of the ninety day license | | | | get much worse if your job requires interstate travel. |
| suspension. Be advised that your employer must sign | | | | New Washington state DUI legislation requires such a |
| the tempoorary restricted license application, and some | | | | person to obtain permission from the Department of |
| employers will fire an employee who has had a license | | | | Corrections before traveling interstate. The application |
| suspension if the job involves driving a company | | | | process takes time and will greatly impede or even |
| vehicle. | | | | prevent interstate business travel. |
| An additional complication arises if your job requires | | | | There are some careers that will be jeopardized by a |
| you to drive company cars or if you transport potential | | | | DUI arrest or conviction for reasons other than loss of |
| clients in your vehicle. As a condition of granting a | | | | the ability to drive. Corporate officers, public figures, |
| temporary restricted license after a DUI arrest, the | | | | sports figures or employees with security clearances |
| Washington state Department of Licensing requires | | | | or those in sensitive positions may find, if the matter |
| proof that an ignition interlock device is installed in your | | | | comes to the attention of the media, that the impact of |
| vehicle. An ignition interlock device is a breath testing | | | | the resultant adverse publicity is more damaging to the |
| machine attached to your car's ignition that you must | | | | career than the actual "legal" consequences of a DUI. |
| blow into every time you start the vehicle and also | | | | The author of this article has represented individuals so |
| periodically while driving the vehicle. | | | | situated. Such cases must be defended well and |
| The car won't start if alcohol is present, and the horn | | | | handled carefully, with the objective of preserving the |
| will honk and lights flash if alcohol is detected while | | | | career while minimizing potential legal consequences. |