Policy Sample:
Alcohol and Other Drug Policy

1. PREAMBLE: Company X is committed to providing a wide range of effective community based health programs. Employees who are under the influence of alcohol or other drugs while at work are not able to meet this commitment, and may threaten the safety of clients, residents and fellow employees. This policy is intended to clarify Company X’s expectations regarding the use of alcohol and other drugs among employees of Company X, and to provide guidelines for dealing with those who do not meet these expectations while at work.
2. EXPECTATIONS REGARDING THE USE OF ALCOHOL AND OTHER DRUGS: As a condition of employment, employees of Company X, students, volunteers and others working on Company X’s premises are expected to comply with the following:
   1. Not to be in possession of, use or be under the influence of illicit drugs while at work on Company X premises or off-site, or otherwise carrying out Company X duties and performing job responsibilities.
   2. Not to be at work on Company X premises, or off-site, or otherwise performing job responsibilities, while under the influence of alcohol.
   3. Not to be at work on Company X premises, or off-site, or otherwise performing job responsibilities, while impaired by prescription drugs.
   Employees are expected to exercise reasonable judgement regarding the amount of alcohol consumed at social functions sponsored by the Company X. Employees who are unable to drive home safely from such events are expected to make alternate arrangements.
   In relation to the foregoing, the following definitions apply:
   Alcohol: Any beverage which contains ethyl alcohol, including beer, wine, liqueurs and spirits. Very low alcohol products (e.g. beer with 0.5% alcohol by volume) are included in this definition.
   Illicit Drugs: Drugs which cannot be legally possessed under Canadian law, including a wide range of “street” drugs (e.g. marijuana, cocaine, heroin) and prescription drugs obtained without a physician’s script.
   Impairment: Physical dysfunction resulting from alcohol or other drug use such that an employee is unable to perform duties to acceptable standards of safety, efficiency or propriety.
   Prescription Drugs: Drugs which have been legally obtained with a physician’s script.
   Under the Influence: Once consumed, alcohol and drugs ultimately enter the bloodstream where they impair normal brain function. In this context, the term “Under the influence”refers to the presence of any alcohol or drugs in the bloodstream. It suggests that employees will allow adequate time for the body to remove all alcohol or other drugs from the bloodstream before coming to work or otherwise assuming job responsibilities.
3. VIOLATIONS OF EXPECTATIONS 2.1, 2.2 and 2.3 OF THE ALCOHOL AND OTHER DRUG POLICY:
1. It is the responsibility of management and supervisory staff and all other employees to identify employees for whom they have reasonable grounds to suspect a violation of this policy. Where the violation involves impairment, management and supervisors will ensure that the employee in question engages in no safety sensitive activities.
2. Upon confirmation that the employee in question is likely to be under the influence of alcohol or other drugs as specified in Section 2 of this policy, or otherwise in violation of the policy, the management representative will excuse the employee for the remainder of the shift with pay.
3. If the employee is too impaired to drive home safely, the management representative will arrange transportation by taxi or some other safe option.
4. Employees who have violated this policy will be sent home for the remainder of their shift, with pay and their presence requested at a meeting with the appropriate Director. The offending employee will be informed of the violation in writing and penalties for a second violation will be clearly presented. The offending employee will be reminded that various forms of assistance can be accessed, including provisions for short-term disability, flexible scheduling and the Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
5. Should a second violation occur, the offending employee will be sent home for the remainder of the shift without pay, requested to meet with Company X designate, and suspended without pay for five working days. The offending employee will be served with a letter of reprimand outlining the penalty for a third violation of the policy, and encouraged to seek assistance for problems related to the policy violation. The offending employee will acknowledge in writing the recommendation to seek assistance.
6. Should a third violation occur, the offending employee will be sent home without pay and requested to meet with the Company X designate, at which point the employment relationship with Company X will be terminated.
7. Encouragement to seek assistance is intended to offer a resource that can be used to help manage alcohol or other drug consumption. No employee will be compelled to make use of assistance, nor will employee efforts to resolve problems be monitored. All efforts undertaken to resolve problems are voluntary and strictly confidential.
8. It is the responsibility of management representatives to document clearly all steps taken in the application of the policy.
4. EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE Short-tem disability benefits may be used during the treatment of addiction while under the care of a physician. Extended Health Care benefits provide for some counselling. Flextime as outlined may be utilized. The Employee Assistance Plan (EAP) is also available.