The business costs of alcohol abuse can include loss of productivity, damages caused by an alcoholic employee and any treatment required to help an employee recover from his or her addiction.
According to the 2013 National Survey on Drug Use and Health commissioned by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, alcohol use is widespread: 56.4% of people 18 or older, or an estimated 134 million adults, are current drinkers. Nearly one-quarter (24.6%) of adults 18 or older, or 58.5 million adults, were binge alcohol users. And the percentage of adults engaging in heavy drinking is 6.8%, or 16.2 million adults.
With such daunting statistics, chances are you will encounter an alcohol-related problem with an employee at some point in time. Knowing the proper way to handle the situation, even when the drinking occurs outside of business hours, is crucial to protecting your business.
For its latest Case Study feature in the current issue, Business Report asked three local professionals with law and human resources backgrounds—Jerry Stovall Jr., partner with Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson; Karen Breaux, human resources manager with Postlethwaite & Netterville; and Victor Loraso, partner with Carleton Loraso & Hebert—how an employer should handle a situation in which an employee has gotten a third DWI and refuses to get treatment.
“Speak with your employee and make sure you understand the details and circumstances; likewise, make sure the employee understands the company’s position on this type of behavior,” advises Breaux, adding that if the employee refuses an employer’s offer for treatment—through an Employee Assistance Program or other treatment program—the employer has a number of options. Read the full feature. Send your comments to editors@businessreport.com.
