It may take a lot of specialized education or possibly state testing for you to obtain a professional license. Having the right license can be a key component of your career development. From landscape architects to social workers, professionals in dozens of different fields may have to maintain a state license.
Whether you provide divorce counseling services or work in the financial industry, maintaining a Colorado state professional license may be an important obligation if you want to own your own company or even maintain a decent job. Unfortunately, criminal charges, ranging from impaired driving allegations to assault charges, could potentially put your professional license at risk.
When you respond to criminal allegations, you need to understand the secondary consequences those charges carry, including career consequences. How do criminal charges potentially affect your professional licensing?
1. You may no longer pass a background check
A thorough background check is typically part of the license application process. Every time you renew your professional license, the board responsible for overseeing your profession will very likely check to ensure you have not committed certain kinds of crimes. Whether or not the new offense on your record will cost you your license depends on the charges you face and the profession in which you work.
2. Someone might report you
There are numerous, nearly anonymous means of people who know you drawing attention to your criminal charges. Angry former romantic partners or neighbors with a chip on their shoulder could potentially make a phone call or submit an email to draw attention to your criminal charges. They might even fabricate extra details to make your case seem especially concerning. Complaints made against you could lead to professional discipline in some cases.
3. Losing your license could be an automatic penalty
For those who drive for work, commercial licensing is a basic requirement for them to maintain their jobs. Certain criminal charges, like impaired driving allegations, could result in someone automatically losing their commercial license. The courts might impose specific licensing penalties that could then have an effect on someone’s career.
Whatever the nature of the charges you face, those charges can negatively affect your career and your income. Fighting back against criminal charges can be crucial to the protection of your professional reputation and licensing.