How Should HR Handle Employee Intoxication on Campus Without Resorting to Termination?

Addressing Intoxication Issues on Campus

The cases of intoxication observed in and around the campus have become a significant HR problem due to:

• Employees are coming on duty in an intoxicated/drunken state or are found drunk/intoxicated while on duty.
• Off-duty employees tend to loiter on the campus in an inebriated/drunken state.
• Employees are found instigating others for binge drinking sessions.
• Written warnings/counseling by concerned Heads of Departments/Administration have almost no effect on such workers.
• Most of these repeat offenders are habitual drinkers, dependent, and addicted to alcohol/drugs. These cases are now becoming epidemic and are affecting other staff.

The only alternative now left is to initiate strict disciplinary action, which may lead to the termination of service. Although termination would be the easiest option, considering the welfare of employees, some of whom have been in service for over 20 years, the following is recommended as a more humane alternative.

These stray instances have affected the working morale of other workers and are tarnishing the image of the company. Therefore, the following measures are recommended:

• Employees covered under ESIC should be sent to ESI-run De-addiction Centers.
• Employees not covered under ESIC should be sent to Government-run De-addiction Centers. The cost of treatment at these centers may be recovered as Medical Expenses Reimbursement being paid to such employees.
• Sending such employees to Rajyog Sadhana Kendra/Art of Living classes for FREE OF CHARGE Drug/Alcohol addiction awareness camps.

Questions for Consideration

WILL IT BE THE RIGHT MOVE? WHAT ELSE CAN BE DONE? WILL ANY MANAGEMENT AGREE TO THESE STEPS?

Dear Budhpal, Following are comments against your every recommendation:

1. Employees covered under ESIC to be sent to ESI-run De-addiction Centers.

Comments: Did you visit the ESI-run de-addiction centers and find out whether de-addiction really happens? What is their success rate?

2. Employees not covered under ESIC to be sent to Govt.-run De-addiction Centers. The cost of treatment at these centers may be recovered as Medical Expenses Reimbursement being paid to such employees.

Comments: Did you visit the Govt.-run de-addiction centers and find out whether de-addiction really happens? What is their success rate?

3. Sending such employees to Rajyog Sadhana Kendra/Art of Living classes for FREE OF CHARGE Drug/Alcohol addiction awareness camps.

Comments: Did you visit the Rajyog Sadhana Kendra/Art of Living classes that run de-addiction centers and find out whether de-addiction really happens? What is their success rate?

4. WILL IT BE THE RIGHT MOVE?

Comments: We run the company, not the rehabilitation center. Addiction is an individual problem, not the company's problem. A person should be intelligent enough to understand the consequence of addiction. Your efforts could go in vain too. By the way, what percentage of employees are addicted? Reporting for duty in a drunken state is misconduct under the provisions of the Industrial Orders Act. Why not sack these people rather than nurture the fond hope that these delinquent or recalcitrant persons will be reformed one day!

5. WHAT ELSE CAN BE DONE?

Comments: Put the employees on a contractor's role. Whoever reports for duty in an inebriated state should be sent back. Secondly, this is a problem with your security as well. Why are security personnel allowing the entry of a few employees in a drunken state? Worse still, off-duty employees loiter in company premises in a drunken state. This is a security problem. Sack them first.

6. WILL ANY MANAGEMENT AGREE TO THESE STEPS?

Comments: That you know better than anyone else. How can we assess the psyche of your management?

All the best!

Regards,
Dinesh Divekar