As we’ve discussed here previously, Kentucky allows some people with a DUI charge or conviction to have an ignition interlock device (IID installed on their vehicles to get their driving privileges back sooner than they otherwise would and drive on a restricted license.
The Kentucky Ignition Interlock Program (KIIP) mandates that the devices are set so that if a driver registers a breath alcohol concentration of more than .02, the vehicle won’t start. A person who participates in KIIP is required to have an IID installed on every vehicle they own.
What if you drive a vehicle owned by your employer as part of your job? Do you need to have an IID installed on that? You don’t have to if your employer approves an exception. Of course, that means that you’ll need to notify them of your DUI.
What do you need to do to get an exemption?
On the Employer Work Exemption Application, the employer has to certify that:
- The employee is required to operate a vehicle owned by the employer as part of their job.
- They’re aware of the employee’s license status and their charge or conviction.
- They’re aware of the employee’s participation in KIIP and their request for a work vehicle exemption
- The employer also has to provide the days and times the employee will be driving the work vehicle.
Of course, your employer may decide that they don’t want to risk having you drive a vehicle without an IID after you’ve been arrested for DUI – particularly if you’ve been convicted. They likely won’t want to have an IID installed in one of their vehicles. If you’re able to continue doing your job using your own vehicle, that might be a possibility. However, if the company vehicles are a specific make and model or have their name and logo on them, that probably isn’t going to be an option.
The best way to avoid having a DUI affect or perhaps endanger your job – short of not getting one – is to be able to get the charges dismissed or be found not guilty. That’s why experienced legal guidance is valuable.