What can you do if you suspect one of your employees may be under the influence of drugs or alcohol?
This can be a difficult question as many employers may not know how to approach the situation, or may not be comfortable in reaching out to an employee who may have an addiction. It can be confusing at first, do you terminate the employee, or do you try and help them get into a recovery program? Regardless of the size of your business, putting together a comprehensive drug and alcohol policy will make you better prepared in the event you find yourself facing an employee that appears to be impaired.
Signs of Substance Abuse
Sensitive issues like these need to be addressed in a way that manages the issue, but still respect the individual. Before you approach an employee that you believe is impaired, take a moment to review some of the warning signs, this can help you confirm your suspicion before moving forward. Some things you should look for on include:
• Unable to perform work duties or respond to direction
• Work assignments are incomplete or unfinished
• Increased absence from work
• Returning late from lunch or breaks
• Unable to remained focused on work
• Inappropriate behavior with other employees
• Sleeping at their workstation
• Smell of alcohol or drugs
Once you feel that you have confirmed the issues, it is important that you approach the employee carefully. You should pull the employee aside for a private conversation, it is also a good idea to include someone from your human resources department to assist in the meeting.
Create a Drug Testing Policy
After you have advised the employee that you are concerned that are using drugs or alcohol in the workplace, the next step would be to administer a drug test to confirm your concerns. Including a drug test option in your human resources policies will allow you to test employees that you are concerned about. There are two options when testing an employee for drugs or alcohol, you can purchase testing equipment that you can use to immediately address the situation, or you can take you employee to a drug testing lab to have them test the employee. It would not be advisable to ask someone who you think is under the influence to drive to a facility on their own.
If you choose to use an in-house drug test, you can take the sample to a drug testing facility to have them confirm the result, this will ensure that any action you take is based on a professional assessment of the test. You should also incorporate into your drug testing policy a clause that allows for immediate termination if the employee refuses the test. Additionally, should the result be negative you may want to have a performance discussion with your employee to see if something else is impacting their performance.
Take Action on the Test Results
Once you have confirmation of the results, you will then need to address what happens next. Employees with a substance abuse problem can present a danger to not only other employees but also to any clients they may interact with. However, you always have the option of including a return to work clause with the clear expectation that should the employee be found under the influence of drugs or alcohol they would be terminated immediately. You can also implement a random drug testing policy for your organization to ensure that all employees are aware of how seriously you take substance abuse in the workplace. While at first they may feel unsure about the policy, knowing that it is in place to keep them safe in their work environment will help them see the benefit of the policy.
Dealing with substance abuse in any capacity is a very sensitive process, it is important that the privacy and security of any employees that you suspect of having a problem is protected. Often these employees are in need of help and support. Adding a drug and alcohol support option as part of your policy can help an at risk employee who otherwise may not reach for help. A solid substance abuse policy should incorporate not only testing, but a path for your employee to seek help for their addiction.
