What Signs Should I Look Out for to Identify Employee Drug Use?
Employee drug use is rarely tolerated in a professional work environment and when it comes to safety-sensitive jobs mandated by the Department of Transportation there is a zero-tolerance policy. When a safety-sensitive employee fails a drug and/or alcohol test they are immediately removed from their safety-sensitive role and must complete the SAP process in order to return to a safety-sensitive role in any DOT-mandated job.
Employee Drug Use – The Real Picture
Many people – including employers – have a mental image of what an addict or drug user is supposed to look and behave like. However, the reality is that addiction manifests itself in different forms, with some individuals having the ability to “manage” their drug use.
Functional dependence may make it hard for employers to pinpoint abusers, but employees and their employers are still at risk. Drug use tends to snowball, with functional addicts eventually succumbing. There are signs that an employer can look out for to determine if their employee is using.
Symptoms of Employee Drug Use
Unexplained mood swings. If an employee is typically level-headed and suddenly they start to act out in unexpected ways, drug use may be the culprit. Many substances can alter the user’s mood, and intense withdrawal can show as irritability and anxiety.
Disappearing for an extended period. If an employee takes longer and longer breaks, or disappears unannounced for long periods of time, they may be sneaking off to use their substance, where they’d be out of sight. They may also be sleeping off their withdrawal or trying to regain their sobriety for the remainder of their shift.
On opioid use. Opioid dependency is on the rise in the United States, which means that there may be a chance that an employee may be affected. Opiate users typically lose mental clarity, may begin to steal to support their habit, and there will generally be a noted change in their productivity.
Increased absenteeism and tardiness. This is one of the tell-tale signs of an employee who may be struggling with something at home. When it comes to drug use, being consistently absent and late typically manifests itself in later stages of addiction. Depending on the drug, dependency can be so powerful; so much so that it forces the user to skip their day to day responsibilities, instead focusing on recreational drug use.
Why It’s Important To Screen Employees For Drug Use
Drug users can be an ethical and legal liability, especially if they work in a DOT-mandated, safety-sensitive position. To maintain drug and alcohol-free employees, all DOT-mandated, safety-sensitive applicants and employees are required to undergo drug and alcohol screenings. If an employee or applicant fails they must complete the SAP process and can not be employed at any location where they’d be performing safety-sensitive functions.
How Can an Employer Help?
When an employee fails a drug and/or alcohol test their employer must either give them a list of Substance Abuse Professionals in their area or refer them to a service agent, such as SAP Referral Services. Referring employees to a service agent is one of the most helpful things an employer can do because it assists employees in locating a SAP quicker than they may find on their own.
To partner with SAP Referral Services today call 410-668-8110 or click here to fill out our Employer Request for Information form.
SAP Referral Services (SRS) is the leading facilitator for mandated substance abuse evaluations. SRS maintains an extensive network of qualified providers in more than 3,000 locations nationwide for testing violations that originate from any of the DOT’s modes including FMCSA, FAA, FRA, FTA, USCG and PHMSA, or a company’s internal drug and alcohol testing policy.