Dealing with substance use in the workplace begins by having a clear drug and alcohol policy that all staff are familiar with, according to New Brunswick addiction consultant Nicholas Barry, who is hired by companies to go into workplaces and meet with employees when substance use is suspected.

“That policy explains to employees what’s expected of you: that you’ll be sober, on time, hours of work, no drugs on premises, no smell of alcohol”, said Barry. “That policy basically says you’re going to come to work and be sober while you’re here.”

A policy also ensures that there is a standard to refer to when talking with an employee about workplace concerns.

What’s equally important, according to Barry, is recognizing that the issue around substance use in the workplace is not whether an employee uses drugs or alcohol, but whether they’re using them at work or being affected on the job as a result of their use (coming to work hung over, exhausted, inattentive, stealing, etc). If someone is suspected of using drugs or alcohol in their off-hours but shows no negative effects on the job – and handles their workload without a problem – then leave things be, recommends Barry. Recent court rulings in wrongful dismissal cases have said much the same thing.

“What employers tend to do is lump everyone who does drugs into one group, which is not how it works. It’s addiction that’s the issue,” said Barry. “Why should you care about the ones who are showing up and doing a good job? Why do you care about their personal life? It’s strictly about someone’s behaviour on the job.”

Resources
The following are resources for getting started with a workplace substance abuse policy: 

• Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety: Substance Abuse in the Workplace
• Alcohol Policy Network: Workplace Alcohol Policy Collection
• Community Social Planning Council: Addiction, Recovery and the Workplace– An Employer Information Guide
• Canadian Human Rights Commission Policy on Alcohol and Drug Testing 

This article is an excerpt from Addictionary: What You Need to Know About Substance Abuse. Addictionary is published and distributed by Association of Service Providers for Employability and Career Training (ASPECT) and is written by Jodi Paterson and Lauren Casey.