Viewing 40 posts - 1 through 40 (of 49 total)
  • Crap work drug and alcohol policy
  • scaled
    Free Member

    We’ve just had a push at work to get us all to sign this new drug and alcohol policy, as it stands I’m the only one at our site of 60+ that hasn’t signed it.

    I’m not stoned at work, living in fear of random drug testing or anything, I’m not signing it because it’s crap.

    The main bit that’s bugging me is the section that has outlawed bringing alcohol on to site and will be dealt with through the company disciplinary procedure. It has a seperate line for consuming alcohol on site, no problem there.

    The thing is, we buy wine, prosecco, whisky etc for peoples birthdays all the time, bring it on to site and have presentations like any normal work place.

    We’ve been assured that this is all fine and we can carry on as always and nobody will get in trouble for it, but surely the policy should reflect what actually happens in the work place rather than rules that have to be selectively enforced?

    Should i just suck it up and sign it?

    thestabiliser
    Free Member

    You do realise the implications here? Someone may actually have to spend thirty seconds updating the document and getting the boss to sign it, again? You’re one of these trouble makers aren’t you?

    chiefgrooveguru
    Full Member

    The thing is, we buy wine, prosecco, whisky etc for peoples birthdays all the time, bring it on to site and have presentations like any normal work place.

    We’ve been assured that this is all fine and we can carry on as always and nobody will get in trouble for it, but surely the policy should reflect what actually happens in the work place rather than rules that have to be selectively enforced?

    I think you’re 100% right. What’s the point of having such a strict policy if you’re not expected to comply with it? I’d escalate it to the highest level – as it is it’s just making management look clueless.

    Fresh Goods Friday 696: The Middling Edition

    Fresh Goods Friday 696: The Middlin...
    Latest Singletrack Videos
    ulysse
    Free Member

    No, don’t sign. A contract is agreement between both parties and you are clearly not in agreement.
    Thin end of the wedge, if you do sign against your conscience

    perchypanther
    Free Member

    Ours is not very good either.

    My workplace would be vastly improved if you could show up ripped to the tits on Class A drugs.

    See also: Company Hooker Policy – equally draconian.

    woody74
    Full Member

    Suck it up and sign it, as life is too short. If your really bothered let someone else bring the booze in when it’s someone birthday. You can then forget about it and concentrate on the job in hand, planning your biking at the weekend!!

    DT78
    Free Member

    Do you like your job? Is there any point in being a pita? For the rare occasion you talk about find another way, so the presentations off site or something

    trailofdestruction
    Free Member

    Yes, but I presume that the people who are bringing booze as gifts for other peoples birthdays etc, are then not consuming it on site. Yes ?

    Again (I’m presuming), the idea is to crack down on people being drunk/stoned at work which is a bad thing (which you agree on), but they’re not going to crack down on people who may bring alcohol onto site, but not actually drink it on site. This will be a common sense matter for managers to deal with, and they will be clearly able to differentiate between the two.

    Did I get that right ? If so, what’s the problem ?

    ulysse
    Free Member

    Do you work in a night club, Perchy?

    thestabiliser
    Free Member

    what’s the problem

    I don’t like you. I’m the boss. What’s that in your hand? For Terry’s Birthday? **** off, you’re fired.

    scotroutes
    Full Member

    Sign it. Ask for a waiver from management and HR everytime is someone’s birthday, Xmas etc. Do that often enough and they’ll soon get pissed off, at which point the policy will quietly disappear.

    ulysse
    Free Member

    It sounds like a load of you will bend over and take any old rotten deal if it means an easy life.
    Sod that, stand for something or fall for everything

    MSP
    Full Member

    It is unlikely that you are signing that you agree to the rules, more likely that you are signing that you are aware of them.

    They do not need your agreement to enforce such rules.

    I think every company I have worked for in the past 20 years has had such a policy. When I have had to deal with it, my method has been to emial hr a couple of days in advance along the lines of “old George is retiring, on the 20th we will be presenting him with a bottle of old tonsil tickler whiskey, as the company policy states that under normal circumstances alcohol is not allowed on site, would an exception be allowed for this event”

    ScottChegg
    Free Member

    Sign it, and don’t bring booze in as a present.

    Is it such a big deal?

    onandon
    Free Member

    We have a no booze policy for our office – however, we also have a staff shopping mall in our building which has a Londis store. Guess what…. they sell booze.
    Never been able to work that one out.

    trail_rat
    Free Member

    stand for something or fall for everything

    Im playing this game just now …… only i will stand to lose my job either way so go down swinging.

    But the above – wouldnt bother me in the slightest.

    Makes me laugh we have a similar policy – but it also goes on to state i cannot carry firearms in my vehicle on company business…..

    perchypanther
    Free Member

    Do you work in a night club, Perchy?

    It’s just like a night club.

    Except during the day and with less music and dancing. Also, no drink or drugs. Very few women either.

    More desks and computers than you would normally expect in a nightclub now that I have proper look around….. and a photocopier.

    Got a radio with Magic FM on it though, so yes. Night Club.

    ulysse
    Free Member

    Glitter Ball?

    I think I’ll give your place a miss if that’s ok

    trailofdestruction
    Free Member

    what’s the problem
    I don’t like you. I’m the boss. What’s that in your hand? For Terry’s Birthday? **** off, you’re fired.

    But surely this comes under a common sense clause. It’s kind of obvious if you’re drinking on the job, and again if you’re bringing in a bottle to give to someone else as a present. If that scenario was played out here, you’d have a very good case for constructive dismissal. ^^ That’s just being a really bad manager who clearly can’t differentiate between the two.

    Unfortunately I can relate, having had some really bad / thick managers in my time, but I think this might be an over reaction. Surely it’s not actually that draconian ?

    trailofdestruction
    Free Member

    It sounds like a load of you will bend over and take any old rotten deal if it means an easy life.
    Sod that, stand for something or fall for everything

    Yer, stick it to the man.

    thestabiliser
    Free Member

    In reality yes, but as they’re a small company surely it’s a piece of piss just to change it so it’s right?

    atlaz
    Free Member

    If that scenario was played out here, you’d have a very good case for constructive dismissal.

    It’s not constructive dismissal if they actually fire you. It’s dismissal. And you’d appeal that.

    Anyway, whilst I understand the OP may want to bring a few bottles of moonshine in for a giggle but not drink any, I’d sign the paper and get the agreement of the company at a later date if needed. We have a “no drinking” policy but waive it occasionally (Xmas, leaving dos etc) but in the past before we had the no drinking policy, one member of staff who has since left would celebrate her birthday with 10am bubbly or spirits with the express statement that her contract didn’t prohibit drinking, just being drunk.

    atlaz
    Free Member

    In reality yes, but as they’re a small company surely it’s a piece of piss just to change it so it’s right?

    Depends. They may have paid an external lawyer a load of money to draw it up (or more realistically, take it out of a drawer) and don’t want to have more expense.

    br
    Free Member

    I think you’re 100% right. What’s the point of having such a strict policy if you’re not expected to comply with it? I’d escalate it to the highest level – as it is it’s just making management look clueless.

    +1

    I remember years ago there was a train driver who at his retirement do had a drink, and then was disciplined. Even though he was finished driving he was still ‘on duty’.

    In a previous job we’d had new contracts issued and a few of us wouldn’t sign them. We were all quite senior people. After a bit of too-and-froing Management agreed to change a lot of the contentious clauses. Some were still left but I got advice and it said that they were pretty much unenforceable, so I signed.

    chiefgrooveguru
    Full Member

    In reality yes, but as they’re a small company surely it’s a piece of piss just to change it so it’s right?

    If any of the directors or senior managers are any good at actually managing a business, they’ll appreciate the fact that someone had the common sense to point out the glaring error with this policy. That will require humility from whoever wrote the policy but I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s mostly a copied and pasted policy from something similar online.

    Boss says to manager X, we need an alcohol/drug policy for reason Y, can you make one and get everyone to sign it? Manager X groans and knocks something up quickly without much thought. Employee Z points out that it’s not suitable for how the company works, manager X feels stupid now but in the longterm is glad he’s not going to be made to look like an idiot every time someone has to bring an alcoholic gift in…

    br
    Free Member

    We have a no booze policy for our office – however, we also have a staff shopping mall in our building which has a Londis store. Guess what…. they sell booze.
    Never been able to work that one out.

    Is it a rather large building in Brentford? 😉

    jeffl
    Full Member

    There should be no line in the policy about brining booze on site. A simple line stating that alcohol is not to be consumed during work time or on company premises should be sufficient.

    Have they perchance included booze and drugs in the same line i.e. Alcohol and Drugs may not be brought onto company premises or sites.? For illegal drugs that makes perfect sense, also do they clearly state illegal drugs or define that drugs means illegal drugs?

    Understand that a lot of companies have this in place now to ensure that anyone with an alcohol problem can be helped/kicked out. Delete as appropriate.

    GrahamS
    Full Member

    one member of staff who has since left would celebrate her birthday with 10am bubbly or spirits with the express statement that her contract didn’t prohibit drinking, just being drunk.

    Seems fine as long, as she isn’t in charge of anything heavy.

    I spent a few days working in a factory in Spain that made and tested stuff for cars (doors, seats, sunroofs etc). Lots of heavy moving machinery.

    Not only did they sell beer from the vending machines, they also took a nice relaxed two hour lunch with wine. 😯

    onandon
    Free Member

    BR, yep, you’re on the money 🙂

    Also has the only local bike store that’s any good 🙂

    Larry_Lamb
    Free Member

    Don’t sign it and turn up to work drunk with a 2L bottle of White Lightning in your hand.

    Clearly your current signed contract doesn’t disallow this as the new one stipulates it.

    atlaz
    Free Member

    Seems fine as long, as she isn’t in charge of anything heavy.

    TBH, leaving her in charge of a keyboard stone cold sober was a bit hit and miss never mind if she’d had to handle machinery.

    smiththemainman
    Free Member

    How things change 30 yrs ago when i first started night shift in a shipyard ,it turned out Thurs night was “can night” for a few of the established tradesmen, some polishing off 8 cans while carrying out a bit of work, they would then go to the local pub at 7.30am with their cash wages they`d just collected, where they would serve you beer as long as you bought a bacon butty!!One highlight was one lad waking up in his sleeping den at 10.30am and having to stay hidden before walking out at lunchtime with the day shift!!Happy days!!

    teethgrinder
    Full Member

    on and on – Member
    BR, yep, you’re on the money

    Is this the ‘House’ I hear so much about?

    FunkyDunc
    Free Member

    Every office needs to have a jobs worth I guess.

    onandon
    Free Member

    That’s the one. Awesome company and the building is truly an exceptional place to work.

    teethgrinder
    Full Member

    I’ve never been…or invited 🙁

    There’s a of us on here, it seems.

    onandon
    Free Member

    Bless you all. Shall I create a STW meet up 🙂

    teethgrinder
    Full Member

    Sounds like a plan! Hamsterley good for us Northern lot.

    ninfan
    Free Member

    Simple answer

    Get out a pen

    draw a single straight line through the section you disagree with (the bit on bringing alcohol into work) but retaining the bit about not consuming it at work

    date and initial the line you have put through it

    sign the bottom of the form and hand it in.

    Job jobbed, everyone happy… and if they’re not, then you are teflon, as you’ve been more than reasonable.

    amedias
    Free Member

    This will be a common sense matter for managers to deal with, and they will be clearly able to differentiate between the two

    I spot a teeny weeny little bit of a problem…

    That’s the problem with policies that are open to interpretation and that are reliant in discretion to enforce. People don’t always agree, and nefarious underhanded people are very good at interpreting things in ways which suit their goals, especially when disciplinary measures are involved.

    If there are exceptions to a policy that mean it won’t be enforced, then the policy either needs to include those exceptions or be re-worded. Otherwise you’re into a very murky world of being able to demonstrate that a policy is not always enforced, with all the issues that can bring, and also possibly compromising other policies if you can demonstrate that the company has a history of ignoring it’s own directives.

    I know life isn’t always as simple as that but it doesn’t make the points any less valid. The policy as it stands is inadequate if ‘some things’ are to be ignored.

Viewing 40 posts - 1 through 40 (of 49 total)

The topic ‘Crap work drug and alcohol policy’ is closed to new replies.