Drunk Supervisor?

slasall

I have a supervisor at our manufacturing plant who smells like alcohol every morning and sometimes comes in late. We have an alcohol substance abuse policy...but where do I start? I don't want to accuse him!

Parabeagle

Start with your policy. What does it say? What does it permit you to do? Does it include provisions for reasonable-suspicion drug/alcohol testing? Post-accident testing? If it does include provisions for reasonable suspicion testing, the odor of alcohol (esp. on his breath, not on his clothes) could be considered grounds for a reasonable suspicion drug/alcohol screen. Then, if it comes back positive, follow whatever disciplinary/corrective procedure your policy calls for.

Also, have supervisors been trained about what to look for in observable behaviors that indicate impairment (e.g., slurred speech, staggering, etc.)? If not, suggest you get some training materials so that your supervisors can identify potential problems.

Good luck!