Drug Use: As an Employer, What Are Your Options?

Drug use can have many consequences for businesses. It can hurt employee performance, lead to theft, and impair customer relationships. It can also be a severe safety issue in many workplaces. With our k9 drug detection services in Greenville, SC, Upstate Private Investigators can help you detect and investigate your work environment and employees for drug use.

Employees who abuse drugs or alcohol can make a workplace more violent and dangerous and expose businesses to legal risk. The effectiveness of a drug test is limited. In case of suspicion of drug use among your employees, contact us immediately.

Signs of Drug Use in an Employee in Greenville, SC

Most drug users are active and employed in the workplace. Many employees take prescribed or over-the-counter medications, including sleeping pills, cold medicine, and pain relievers.

However, things become more complicated if an employee’s ability to accomplish their job safely and effectively is impaired by authorized or unauthorized drug usage. Drowsy drugs, for example, could make it extremely risky for a person to perform tasks that require cognitive skills like driving or operating machinery.

Also, drugs affect judgment and abilities, making it difficult for a person to achieve employment standards. Any of these issues, when considered individually, could be the result of any problem in an employee’s life.

The following are signs that indicate excessive drug usage:

  • Mood Changes

Employees who are irritated, distant, discouraged, overly enthusiastic, or talkative after breaks or lunch might be using drugs. So watch for these signs.

  • A Different Appearance

Employees who were previously well-groomed but now show up dressed poorly or without having showered may be using drugs. Slurred speech, bloodshot eyes, and abnormal weight loss or growth are pointers too.

  • Relationship Problems

Employees that are combative and uncooperative should be avoided and investigated.

  • Reduced Performance

You should be concerned if one of your employees’ performance deteriorates. However, if they exhibit signs like loss of attention, equipment misuse, and frequent use of sick days, that worry should give way to suspicion.

What Should You Do to an Employee With a Suspected Drug Use?

Employees who use drugs are at high risk. It doesn’t matter if the employee takes it during work or off-work hours. Acting quickly if an employee is using drugs could save lives.

So, hire expert k9 drug detection services in Greenville, SC. But first, what should you do when you suspect an employee of using drugs? Below are some measures you can take.

  • Identify the Signs

Most drug users are good at concealing their addiction, but you will notice eventually. A decrease in productivity is one of the most typical indications of drug addiction.

An employee who was formerly performing well would soon display tardiness and absences and show unusual behaviors that lead to a volatile workplace. Other examples are mood swings, anger, hostility, inappropriate advances, and other behaviors.

No matter what business you work in, these behaviors are risky. Therefore, take time to study the employee and note these behaviors.

drug use

  • Document Your Observations for the Signs of Drug Use

Drug use is a serious accusation, and you should only make it with proof. As an employer, you can’t accuse an employee of using drugs without evidence, and you can’t terminate them either. So, note the day you noticed the symptoms and compare the employee’s current behavior with how they used to be.

Make a list of things you notice, such as changes in speech, weird odors, eye changes, signs of instability, lack of focus, tiredness, etc. The purpose of documenting is to verify that you are not acting solely on suspicion without any objective basis. To decide whether or not to approach the employee, compare notes with other observers.

Get the management, HR, and supervisors to watch the employee’s behavior. They will serve as witnesses. Then, when the moment comes to confront the employee, you’ll be able to point to a specific time, date, and circumstance.

  • Review Your Workplace Drug and Alcohol Policy

Drug testing will be difficult to implement unless explicitly stated in your workplace’s drug and alcohol policy. You can only act according to the procedure your workplace policy specifies. For instance, if drug testing is required due to reasonable suspicion, you may ask the employee to submit to the test.

It must be stated clearly in your policy and recognized and accepted by the employee. Your employee can decline a drug test if your policy is unclear or they did not explicitly acknowledge them. In addition, your workplace policy must clearly state the sanctions for drug usage offenses.

You should contact an attorney if you do not have a drug and alcohol policy or a code of conduct for your business.

  • Meet With the Employee

If you have all the necessary papers and have double-checked everything against your company’s drug and alcohol policy, you can meet with your employee. For legal reasons, have a second witness present at this meeting.

Inform the employee that their recent actions have caused interest. Tell them of your observations and that you have reason to believe they are abusing drugs. Ensure you sound concerned and not accusatory.

  • Drug Testing

Confronting an employee may put them on the defensive. However, if you have a reasonable suspicion of drug use, you can request that the employee submit a drug test.

The goal of a drug test is to safeguard the health and safety of all employees. If the results are positive, you must follow the procedures outlined in your company’s policy.

  • Treatment

Loyal employees are essential in businesses. While the law favors companies that fire workers with drug abuse issues, employee morale is delicate and should always be considered when changing teams.

Offering an addicted employee time off or financial aid with treatment could go a long way toward keeping morale high. Also, if they can finish therapy, consider leaving their position open for them.

How Can K9 Drug Detection Services in Greenville, SC, Help Your Investigation?

Dogs’ nostrils are extremely strong, allowing them to detect even the tiniest trace of an odor. Unfortunately, working with the police isn’t always the go-to method to spot employees with drug use. Hence, the need for K9 drug detection services in Greenville, South Carolina.

At Upstate Private Investigators, our detection canines are trained to sniff out possible threats like drugs and explosives. As a result, our services are highly cost-effective, and we consistently offer excellent results.

We customize our services to meet the demands of our clients, allowing them to find the best solution for their problems. Also, we can help you identify and gather the evidence needed to prove an employee’s drug use. We are the answer to your private investigators near me search, so contact us today to learn how we can help you.

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