Alcohol & Substance Abuse

Alcohol and substance misuse can have a detrimental effect upon your health, and can adversely influence your work performance and your relationships with colleagues and customers. It can result in reduced efficiency and increased absenteeism. The Company has a duty towards and is concerned about the health and welfare of all employees. It is therefore Company policy to:

• promote a responsible attitude to the consumption of alcohol amongst employees

• offer assistance to those employees who require it

• treat alcohol and substance abuse as a health problem and arrange for employees to seek professional assistance.

The Company will treat any absence due to alcohol and substance abuse in the same way as sickness absence on condition that you obtain professional treatment and maintain regular contact with the appropriate Occupational Health Department. The Company will treat all relevant discussions in strict confidence.

The Company will insist individuals are tested if there is reason to believe an individual is the victim of substance abuse. Failure of an individual to consent to testing could result in action being taken under the Disciplinary Procedure.

If inadequate work performance or unacceptable behaviour, including poor work relationships, occur or persist, the matter may be dealt with under the Company's Disciplinary Procedure. Careful consideration will be given if you have acknowledged the existence of a problem and/or have agreed to obtain medical help for the condition.

However, any incident that amounts to gross misconduct would be considered a dismissible offence. If you fail to complete a prescribed course of treatment or have a relapse following treatment, the matter may be dealt with under the Company's Disciplinary Procedure.