Testing for Illegal Use of Drugs Module 4 Supervisors Responsibilities

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Testing for Illegal Use of Drugs Module
4Supervisors Responsibilities
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Testing for Illegal Use of Drugs
PolicySupervisors Responsibilities
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Supervisors Responsibilities

• Objectives
• After completing this module, supervisors should
  be able to
• Identify and respond to crisis situations.
• Recognize workplace problems that may be
• related to substance use.
• Intervene in problem situations.
• Refer employees who have problems with
• substance abuse.

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Supervisors Responsibilities

• Objectives (continued)
• After completing this module, supervisors should
  be able to
• Protect employee confidentiality.
• Continue to supervise employees who have been
• referred to assistance.
• Avoid enabling and common supervisor traps.

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Supervisors Responsibilities
It is your responsibility, as a supervisor, to

• Maintain a safe, secure and productive
  environment for employees.
• Evaluate and discuss performance with employees.
• Treat all employees fairly.
• Act in a manner that does not demean or label
  people.

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Supervisors Responsibilities
It is NOT your responsibility, as a supervisor,
to

• Diagnose substance abuse problems.
• Have all the answers.
• Provide counseling or therapy.
• Be a police officer.

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Supervisors Responsibilities
Identifying Performance Problems and Handling
Potential Crisis Situations

• Crisis situations are less common than
  performance problems and can consist of
• Dangerous behavior
• Threatening behavior
• Obvious impairment
• Possession of alcohol and other drugs
• Illegal activity

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• Procedures for dealing with a potential crisis
  situations are very specific. These were covered
  in Module 3. You should keep a copy of these
  procedures so they are readily accessible in case
  you need them.

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• As a supervisor, you primary tool in dealing
  with performance and work related behavior
  problems is the Performance Improvement Plan.
• In this document you identify the specific
  behaviors that need to change for performance to
  improve along with an action plan that includes
  target dates.

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• Ongoing performance problems that
• do not respond to a Performance Improvement Plan
  and other normal supervisory actions may be signs
  of alcohol and/or drug abuse and may require more
  intervention.

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• Some performance and behavior problems are common
  to many employed individuals who abuse alcohol
  and/or other drugs.
• However, if an employee displays these symptoms,
  it does not necessarily mean he or she has a
  substance abuse problem.

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• Common Performance Problems

• Inconsistent work quality
• Poor concentration
• Lowered productivity
• Increased absenteeism
• Unexplained disappearances

• Carelessness, mistakes
• Errors in judgment
• Needless risk taking
• Disregard for safety
• Extended lunch periods and early
  departures

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• Common Behavior Problems

• Frequent financial problems
• Avoidance of friends and colleagues
• Blaming others for own problems and
  shortcomings
• Complaints about problems at home
• Deterioration in personal appearance
• Complaints and excuses of vaguely defined
  illnesses

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• Procedures for dealing with performance and work
  related behavior problems when you have
  reasonable suspicion that an employee may be
  abusing drugs involve careful documentation of
  specific behaviors over a period of time.
• The Behavior Patterns Checklist should be used
  to document this behavior.

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• Your Agency Technical Representative (ATR)
  decides if grounds for reasonable suspicion meet
  the criteria to order a Controlled Dangerous
  Substance Test Order.
• You DO NOT make this determination.

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• The specific procedures when reasonable
  suspicion is determined to be a cause for a
  Controlled Dangerous Substance Test Order are
  very specific. These were covered in Module 3.
  You should keep a copy of these procedures so
  they are readily accessible in case you need them.

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If the ATR determines grounds for reasonable
suspicion DO NOT meet criteria

• ATR will so advise supervisor and supervisor may
  counsel and/or discipline employee as
  appropriate.
• An Employee Assistance Program (EAP) referral is
  appropriate at this time.
• EAP Supervisory Referral Form

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When making an EAP Referral

• Tell employee you are concerned about his/her
  performance
• State problem
• Refer to documentation of specific events
• Avoid over-generalizations
• Ask for explanation

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When making an EAP Referral

• Avoid getting involved in discussions of personal
  problems.
• Try to get employee to acknowledge what you see
  as the problem.
• State what must be done to correct problem.
• Set time frame for performance improvement.
• Specify consequences if problem continues.

Use Performance Improvement Plan form.
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For supervisor EAP referrals to be effective, an
employee needs to know that
Protecting Confidentiality

• Problems will not be made public.
• Conversations with an EAP professional are
  private and will be protected.
• All information related to performance issues
  will be maintained in his/her personnel file.
• However, information about EAP referral, will be
  kept separately.

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For supervisor EAP referrals to be effective, an
employee needs to know that
Protecting Confidentiality

• Information about treatment for addiction is not
  a matter of public record and cannot be shared
  without a signed release from the employee.
• If an employee chooses to tell coworkers about
  his/her private concerns, that is his/her
  decisions.
• When an employee tells his/her supervisor
  something in confidence, supervisors are
  obligated to protect that disclosure.

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Continued Supervision
After you have made an EAP referral

• Do not expect to get feedback from the referral
  source.
• The employee does not HAVE to take advantage of
  an EAP referral and you will not know from the
  referral source if they have or have not done so.
  

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However, after EAP referral, regardless of
whether or not the employee seeks help through
EAP, the employee will need

• Continuing feedback about behavior and
  performance.
• Encouragement to follow through with continuing
  care and support groups.
• Accurate performance appraisals and fair
  treatment.
• Time to adjust to doing things differently.
• Respect for his or her privacy.
• Open lines of communication.
• Corrective action if old behaviors reappear.

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Enabling is an action that you take that protects
the employee from the consequences of his/her
actions and actually helps the employee to NOT
deal with the problem. Examples of enabling

• Covering Up
• Rationalizing
• Withdrawing/Avoiding

• Blaming
• Controlling
• Threatening

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Covering up Providing alibis, making excuses or
even doing an impaired workers work rather than
confronting the issue that he/she is not meeting
his/her expectations. Rationalizing Developing
reasons why the persons continued substance
abuse or behavior is understandable or
acceptable. Withdrawing/Avoiding Avoiding
contact with the person with the problem.
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Blaming Blaming yourself for the persons
continued substance abuse or getting angry at the
individual for not trying hard enough to control
his/her use or to get help. Controlling Trying
to take responsibility for the person by throwing
out his/her drugs, cutting off the supply or
trying to minimize the impact by moving him/her
to a less important job. Threatening Saying
that you will take action (ceasing to cover up,
taking formal disciplinary action) if the
employee doesnt control his/her use, but not
following through.
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Sympathy Trying to get you involved in his/her
personal problems. Excuses Having increasingly
improbable explanations for everything that
happens. Apology Being very sorry and promising
change, (It wont happen again.) Diversions
Trying to get you to talk about other issues in
life or in the workplace.
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Innocence Claiming he/she is not the cause of
the problems you observe, but rather the victim.
(It isnt true.I didnt know.Everyone is
against me.) Anger Showing physically
intimidating behavior, blaming others. (Its
your fault.) Pity Using emotional blackmail to
elicit your sympathy and guilt. (You know what
Im going through. How can you do this to me
now? Tears Falling apart and expressing
remorse upon confrontation.
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Donts for Supervisors

• DONT try to diagnose the problem
• DONT moralize. Limit comments to job
  performance and conduct issues only
• DONT discuss alcohol and drug use

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Donts for Supervisors

• DONT be misled by sympathy-evoking tactics
• DONT cover up. If you protect people, it
  enables them to stay the same
• DONT make threats that you do not intend to
  carry out

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Dos for Supervisors

• DO emphasize that you only are concerned with
  work performance or conduct
• DO have documentation or performance in front of
  you when you talk with the employee
• DO remember that many problems get worse without
  assistance

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Dos for Supervisors

• DO emphasize that conversations with an EAP are
  confidential.
• DO explain that an EAP is voluntary and exists to
  help the employee.
• DO make an EAP referral.