Alcohol and workplaces never mix well. No matter the sort of work they do, employees should not be in the workplace when they are under the influence or still suffering the effects of alcohol consumption. This includes drinking at work or immediately before starting work, and those who are still impacted by a big night out.
So what steps should an employer take when dealing with a worker who they suspect is intoxicated in the office?
APPROACHING AN INTOXICATED EMPLOYEE
Occupational health and safety legislation throughout Australia places an obligation on employers to protect not only the safety of the intoxicated employee, but that of all other employees as well.
This means making sure that an intoxicated employee can’t hurt themselves or anyone else. Accordingly, employers have an obligation to approach intoxicated employees and ask them to leave work immediately (without driving a vehicle, of course!).
However, being intoxicated at work does not necessarily mean that employees can be terminated immediately. When determining whether a dismissal for intoxication in the workplace is ‘valid’ or can be upheld, courts will consider several factors. These include whether the company’s drug and alcohol policy or any contractual arrangements in place with the employee are sufficiently clear to demonstrate that there is a ‘zero tolerance’ policy for alcohol in the workplace.
Although employees should certainly be disciplined for being intoxicated at work, employers who are wishing to avoid claims for unfair dismissal should consider interim steps such as clearly worded warnings rather than summarily dismissing staff.
FACTORS THAT MAY CONTRIBUTE TO ALCOHOL ABUSE
Of course, prevention is always better than cure. Employers should give some thought to factors that may encourage their staff to over-indulge in alcohol to the extent that they are intoxicated in the workplace.
Key risk factors include:
- Age, gender and socio-economics. According to the Alcohol.Think Again campaign, young men who work in lower skilled or manual occupations are statistically most likely to be involved in ‘risky drinking’.
- Isolation (geographical isolation or social isolation within work peer groups)
- Bullying, harassment and other interpersonal difficulties
- Poor supervision, or support in the workplace
- Difficult working conditions
- High levels of stress
HOW ALCOHOL USE CAN IMPACT THE WORKPLACE
An intoxicated employee can pose a risk to the safety of themselves and others. This is magnified when the employee is in a customer-facing role, or they are required to do manual work involving precision or machinery.
Regardless of the nature of the work however, job performance can suffer as a result of the poor concentration and low productivity that will likely result from intoxication.
STEPS TO ADDRESS ALCOHOL USE IN THE WORKPLACE
In addition to mitigating workplace risk factors, employers should ensure that they have clear and detailed drug and alcohol policies which identify under what conditions an employee would be determined to be ‘intoxicated’. Policies should also clearly spell out the consequences of breaching those conditions.
Employers must ensure that any breaches of the policy are thoroughly and objectively investigated, and any required disciplinary action is taken swiftly.
If you would like to know more about risk management and creating effective drug and alcohol policies, or you require assistance with investigating an incident involving an intoxicated employee, contact WISE today.
