Drug and alcohol issues in the workplace can be difficult to navigate, and the stakes are often higher than many employers realise. Get it wrong, and you could expose your business to safety risks, damaged team culture, or even legal claims.
If an employee shows up to work impaired, fails a drug test, or raises concerns about substance use on the job, many employers aren’t sure what they can — and can’t — do. Can you send them home? When can you require testing? And what needs to be in place before you introduce a workplace testing programme?
Co-hosted by HR experts Sylvie Thrush Marsh and Patrick Deme, this practical seminar is for small business owners and people leaders who want to manage drug and alcohol risks safely, lawfully, and with confidence. We’ll walk through what employers need to consider before introducing testing, how to handle situations where impairment is suspected, and what a fair and defensible process looks like in practice.
When drug and alcohol testing may be appropriate in a workplace
The difference between reasonable cause, post-incident, and random testing
What policies and processes you need in place before testing employees
How to respond if an employee appears intoxicated at work
Managing failed tests and suspected impairment fairly and lawfully
Balancing workplace safety with employee rights and privacy
