I know you are worry about getting a forklift job if you have DUI or DWI in your record. If I were in the same situation, I would be concerned also. Getting caught and convicted will affect whether you can get a job at present or in the future. And even if you are skilled and experienced forklift operator, the probability and likelihood of landing a good paying job could diminish.
Though some state laws prohibit employers from asking about DUI conviction on application, many employers do. Background check could be performed on you, though this may sound unfair in your part, employer just wants to make sure you are clean. DUI has lasting consequences on your employment prospects. It influences the employer’s decision on hiring you.
If you are asking the same question – could you get a forklift job even if you have DUI conviction? We will try to answer it. We will try to give you some information on how to deal with it.
Reasons Why Employers Concern About DUI / DWI of Forklift Job Applicant
- If a forklift operator is convicted for first offense, he may likely to get involved in DUI again. If such violation is in company policy as ground for firing, the employer has no choice but to implement their rule and later on hire for another operator as replacement which requires time to get a substitute, this affects production because there will be change in the shift work roster.
- A worker who has convictions of DUI in the second or third offense will face license suspension for a period of time, this makes hard for them to report for work. The person will become liability for the company.
- Worker will miss work days due to the need to attend for court hearings, mandatory rehab treatment or spend days of jail time. Worker will be away from work for many days, who will man the job he is assigned to do, this tend to have significant effect on production quota.
- Many insurance firms do not cover people with DUI. If forklift operator is covered by company insurance, the cost will be much more costly. Since, the company do not want to pay additional money for insurance coverage, they have no other option but to replace you.
- Employer may compensate for higher cost of vehicle insurance.
- The employer may perceive the person with DUI conviction as safety risk to other personnel in the warehouse, they can be sued by intentionally employing someone who jeopardize others.
Can You Be Hired as Forklift Driver After a DUI
You can land a forklift job if the DUI happened many years ago. You can find job ads clearly indicated in the description the applicant must don’t have a “recent” DUI. This mean, you can still get hired as forklift driver if you have DUI in the past.
It also depends on other contributing factors that play in the mind of the employer. Some employers may strict about employing someone who had DUI record or if a certain company ruling forbids, then getting hired is not possible.
The first thing to deal with the application is to ask about it. Get to know the description or verbally ask to the employer or employment agency about application with DUI.
Some HR experts reported having a single DUI would not affect employer’s decision. But applicant must be truthful and open about it when asked or questioned.
How to Convince Employer to Hiring You
- The first thing to do is to be honest with the prospective employer. Explain to them what happened during interview. The employer will likely to understand your situation and eventually soften their feeling towards you. You could be employed in probationary period until the employer has evaluated your attitude thoroughly.
- Be sincere. Explain to them that it was a past action and you’ve got ignorant, correction to your attitude and behavior has been made and you do not want to get into the same situation again.
- If you lie during an interview that you do not have DUI, and employer run a background check, the chance of retaining your forklift job is very slim. So tell to them upfront.
- You can tell that you have been convicted of DUI long time ago and since then you haven’t done anything foolish that put you at risk of having subsequent DUI. Employers may likely to hire you if the past DUI happened many years ago.
- You just have completed your obligation to the court by taking DUI class.
- You went through the process of the DUI treatment program and completed it.
- You have finished serving jail term, if there is, absenteeism is no longer an issue and a big hindrance for you to perform your job because there will no more court hearings.
- You just moved in nearby area, a few blocks away, taking the public transport or by walking could get you to the job on time.
Can You Lose Your Forklift Job If You Arrested for DUI
This is common question utters by someone who got arrested for DUI. A forklift operator may face situation like this and could be concerned about that their employer may know about the DUI arrest and fire him.
The simple question for this is it depends.
Obviously, there are several factors that play in the employer’s mind, only if they found about it. If company policy obliges you to disclose about it, then you may do so to your superior. This lessens the negative impact towards you. The superior may perceive your initiative as positive factor rather than harmful.
You can disclose the information to your employer after answering to court because there are many potential results from the arrest, the court may pass judgment and giving you a “Not Guilty” verdict. The good reason for not revealing your DUI early to your employer is that you do not want yourself to look bad in the eyes of the employer, this could impede the employer’s decision of giving your promotion and raise.
You may not likely to get fired from your job after the first DUI, unless of course it is stipulated in the company rules and regulations. But most of the time, you wont get fired. If DUI happened for second or more times, then you need a defense attorney and employer may give you a final notice of employment.
To Wrap This Up
Having a DUI in your record could ruin your chance of getting a forklift job. Employers may have their own reason of not hiring a forklift operator with DUI, but many employers can hire you despite of the past DUI you have had especially when you can exhibit your experience and skills driving forklifts that can contribute the productivity and efficiency of the business operation.
