Drug and alcohol policies should be included in every staff handbook to help preserve the health, safety and welfare of all employees. Employees who drink excessively or take illegal drugs are more likely to be late or absent from work, have accidents, make mistakes and endanger others. The continued success of your business necessitates the need for action to be taken to prevent incapacitated members of staff placing an unnecessary and costly burden upon you and your business.

Drug and alcohol policies aim to prevent problems arising but should also help you deal with affected employees in a consistent and lawful manner. Our drug and alcohol policies clearly communicate to staff that the misuse of drugs or alcohol will not be tolerated.

When the effects of drug or alcohol misuse result in poor performance or wrongful conduct, your business will suffer. A tribunal has held that where a company wishes to have specific penalties available to them for drug or alcohol related misconduct, the types of offence that are likely to be treated in an exceptional manner need to be set out in drug and alcohol policies. Businesses need drug and alcohol policies to be entitled to discipline intoxicated employees or those in possession of illegal drugs.

Additionally, drug and alcohol policies need to be backed-up by disciplinary and grievance procedures, an equal opportunities policy and authoritative contracts of employment to ensure that when enforcing your drug and alcohol policies staff are still treated lawfully and fairly.