How long did you wait to tell your employer?

[Rm0892]

Hi guys,

How long did you all wait to tell your employer of your arrest etc? It’s been just over 2 weeks for me and I haven’t mentioned anything yet.

Im very scared of the consequences of this and the fact that when I tell them within the next week they’ll sack me for not telling them immediately.

Thanks

 

[Recovered22]

Hi guys,

How long did you all wait to tell your employer of your arrest etc? It’s been just over 2 weeks for me and I haven’t mentioned anything yet.

Im very scared of the consequences of this and the fact that when I tell them within the next week they’ll sack me for not telling them immediately.

Thanks

Most people wait a few days to a week or two but the sooner the better. I would arrange a meeting and inform them that you were so wrecked with anxiety that it took you 2 weeks to schedule but need to make them aware that you were arrested for drink driving and will be attending court at a later date. Stress that you will not be mentioning your job, job title or role within the company at court so there will be no risk of the companies name being brought up.

You will not be the first person in your work place to have ever drunk drove, it is a common enough arrest to report to an employer. Don't wait until the court date, speak to them next week at the latest mate.

 

[BigTom]

Hi guys,

How long did you all wait to tell your employer of your arrest etc? It’s been just over 2 weeks for me and I haven’t mentioned anything yet.

Im very scared of the consequences of this and the fact that when I tell them within the next week they’ll sack me for not telling them immediately.

Thanks

This will keep eating at you until you tell them. You will keep over thinking and will cause yourself even more anxiety, and possibly drive yourself to drinking more.

Take the bull by the horns, get in touch with HR or your line manager ASAP and just have a quick chat. Explain how you feel so remorseful and you wanted them to know ASAP. They will be more helpful than you think, your mental health will be better and you can relax a little more.

I know all of the worse case scenarios will be going through your head, you can't change the past so shape your future instead. At this stage I'm guessing you haven't been convicted, so you do not have a criminal record yet. Most companies will have something in their contract that implies you to inform them of criminal proceedings so the sooner you do it the better. Depending on your job, you may have to undergo a disciplinary, but most people report that their employers are more worried about them and offer support rather than punish them further.

 

[Rm0892]

Thanks guys,

How much detail did you guys go into when you told your employer?

I don’t really know my manager that well as have been working remotely since starting this role last year.

And I’m nervous he will react badly or I’ll get sacked right away.

 

[C J 1980]

Thanks guys,

How much detail did you guys go into when you told your employer?

I don’t really know my manager that well as have been working remotely since starting this role last year.

And I’m nervous he will react badly or I’ll get sacked right away.

Rm

To answer your question - it entirely depends on your employer and what type of work you are involved in.

If you are a professional driver, it's inevitable you'll be looking at dismissal, unless the company is kind enough to redeploy you in a non-driving role.

Surprisingly, having a drink driving conviction only has a negative influence on a small number of professions where people lose their jobs.

As Big Tom has quite rightly pointed out - you are under obligation to disclose it and the sooner you disclose it the better it will be for your mental health and wellbeing.

CJ

 

[TPR]

I can confirm that you are much better off talking to your employer as soon as possible. Either way, it will be a load off your mind and most contracts demand that you disclose any criminal convictions anyway. I would go through your line manager and then speak to HR with their knowledge - but that's just my view.
Everyone that I spoke to about it was fairly supportive, it was just really embarrassing and humiliating to have to do it. However, once you get it over with, its a lot easier as most of the unknowns have been removed.

 

[Rm0892]

I can confirm that you are much better off talking to your employer as soon as possible. Either way, it will be a load off your mind and most contracts demand that you disclose any criminal convictions anyway. I would go through your line manager and then speak to HR with their knowledge - but that's just my view.
Everyone that I spoke to about it was fairly supportive, it was just really embarrassing and humiliating to have to do it. However, once you get it over with, its a lot easier as most of the unknowns have been removed.

Thanks Guys,

Much appreciated.

Today is the first day since the accident that I have t had a drink, which I’m proud of. But I’m still very annoyed at myself for hitting the booze so hard for nearly 2 weeks there after it. But I suppose it couldn’t have done me that much harm except for feeling like turd for a few days until it all wears off.

Did you guys find that it was the talk of the office or anything whenever you let it out? Or it was in the papers?

I don’t drive for work so I won’t have anything to worry about in that regard.

 

[January]

Yes tell your boss ASAP in my case we agreed who would be told - I had been stopped driving to work the morning after so some people had been asked if heard from me. The staff told were advised not to discuss it.
I hit local paper after court I understand there was a lot of talk at work but I kept a low profile worked from home etc
And then covid arrived
Basically it will blow over

 

[RSC]

Questions: when is your court date? Better to say before than after. Much better to hear from you in person than yr bosses reading it online/ or on local media. Maybe a massive exhale afterwards.

 

[Rm0892]

I haven’t got a court date yet. I’m currently working from home so don’t know whether to just call my boss or what to do.

 

[price1367]

Perhaps email your boss and say that you have a issue that you would like to discuss in person with him / her and could you discuss it by telephone?
Theat is better than an email, where your boss could get the wrong impression in their head before they reply to an email. A phone call allows for an explanation followed immediately to any clarifications that your boss asks about.
At the moment you could correctly tell your employer that you are under INVESTIGATION for drink driving. This is not a lie, you have been released whilst your sample is analysed.

 

[Rm0892]

Thanks all.

I’m going to tell my boss tomorrow. It’s a busy day today on work and don’t want this to get in the way of anything.

Do you all reckon that sounds fair enough?

know I’m asking silly questions. Just a bit at a loss with it all.

 

[C J 1980]

Thanks all.

I’m going to tell my boss tomorrow. It’s a busy day today on work and don’t want this to get in the way of anything.

Do you all reckon that sounds fair enough?

know I’m asking silly questions. Just a bit at a loss with it all.

Rm

If you have been working remotely from home, then disclosure of the DUI to your line manager should be easier as there is less chance of 'office gossip' doing the rounds.

I would certainly ask your line manager the 64 million dollar question there and then about your job prospects. As I said in my previous post - I do not know what your occupation is, but it is unlikely you will be looking at dismissal.

Most people get the sack for something in the work place that impacts on their employer. If say for example you were stopped and breathalysed in work's time driving a company vehicle, then you are more than likely looking at serious workplace misconduct, whereby it will result in potential dismissal.

If the DUI happens outside of work, then the matter is a different kettle of fish. Typical employers will look at their own reputation in these circumstances and whether the offence has any impact on the organisation and their stakeholders/customers.

If you have access to a union rep, it might be good just to bare them in mind if your employer does take some internal action against you. All ligitimate employers cannot just dismiss staff for no good reason - they will have to go down a particular route if they treat this as misconduct. In most cases, they should arrange a meeting or hearing for you to attend in the future.

At this moment in time, you need to focus on your court appearance. The employer should treat this as a 'welfare' issue and offer you some support. If they decide to do your legs there and then when you disclose the DUI, I would ask myself - ''are they really a good employer to work for anyway?''

CJ

 

[Rm0892]

Rm

If you have been working remotely from home, then disclosure of the DUI to your line manager should be easier as there is less chance of 'office gossip' doing the rounds.

I would certainly ask your line manager the 64 million dollar question there and then about your job prospects. As I said in my previous post - I do not know what your occupation is, but it is unlikely you will be looking at dismissal.

Most people get the sack for something in the work place that impacts on their employer. If say for example you were stopped and breathalysed in work's time driving a company vehicle, then you are more than likely looking at serious workplace misconduct, whereby it will result in potential dismissal.

If the DUI happens outside of work, then the matter is a different kettle of fish. Typical employers will look at their own reputation in these circumstances and whether the offence has any impact on the organisation and their stakeholders/customers.

If you have access to a union rep, it might be good just to bare them in mind if your employer does take some internal action against you. All ligitimate employers cannot just dismiss staff for no good reason - they will have to go down a particular route if they treat this as misconduct. In most cases, they should arrange a meeting or hearing for you to attend in the future.

At this moment in time, you need to focus on your court appearance. The employer should treat this as a 'welfare' issue and offer you some support. If they decide to do your legs there and then when you disclose the DUI, I would ask myself - ''are they really a good employer to work for anyway?''

CJ

Thanks CJ,

Yeah I don’t really see how I could get the chop for it. It’s a pretty big and well known company that I work for so I’m not sure how they’ll react. It as others have said I’m sure there’s been plenty of people in my situation before who have worked here.

I just hope all goes well tomorrow and this isn’t one more thing to worry about.

That’s for your support in the meantime.

 

[Rm0892]

Perhaps email your boss and say that you have a issue that you would like to discuss in person with him / her and could you discuss it by telephone?
Theat is better than an email, where your boss could get the wrong impression in their head before they reply to an email. A phone call allows for an explanation followed immediately to any clarifications that your boss asks about.
At the moment you could correctly tell your employer that you are under INVESTIGATION for drink driving. This is not a lie, you have been released whilst your sample is analysed.

Thanks Price.
I’m going to do that this morning.

Do you have any other advice on how much information I should give to my employer or how I should say it. I’m a bit tongue tied about it all.

 

[price1367]

Keep to the basic details, nothing about driving off or what the reading might be!

 

[Rm0892]

I didn’t drive off I had a collision. What will I do if I’m pressed on it Price?

will I just go with… “About 3 weeks ago I was arrested under suspicion of drunk driving and released under investigation. Pending results. May need to appear on court at some stage.”

I’m just worried he will ask me a lot of questions.

 

[price1367]

Sorry, I mixed you up with someone else about driving off…..
What you say is about right, I would suggest.
But if your boss asks further questions just be honest.
Unless he is familiar with what happens in drunk drive cases, I doubt he will ask much more.

 

[Rm0892]

Thanks for your support guys,
Just to update you all I told my boss. He was more than fine with it and mentioned my job would be fine as I don’t need a car for the role.

just told him I got arrested and released under investigation but didn’t go into too much more details.

mid I am found guilty in court and say get a suspended sentence or community service would this likely change things?

 

[Polly3]

Thanks for your support guys,
Just to update you all I told my boss. He was more than fine with it and mentioned my job would be fine as I don’t need a car for the role.

just told him I got arrested and released under investigation but didn’t go into too much more details.

mid I am found guilty in court and say get a suspended sentence or community service would this likely change things?

You are moving from one anxiety to another . I recognise this as it’s what I do. You have constructively dealt with the immediate issue : advised employer of arrest and you have received a constructive response. Great news. Leave it there for now. I imagine you are feeling stressed and so your mind is now focusing on another aspect of the situation. Mine did . And each issue I resolved or dealt with was replaced by another concern . Please try to distract yourself. Easy to say I know . I’m not criticising. Just empathising as I am prone to be the same . Good luck with it .